CHAIN OF EVENTS
by The Great Artiste
Summary: What's the story behind Linda's death and what crucial family secret may she have taken to her grave?
1. Chapter 1

Here is my retrospective view of what transpired between the final episode of Season 7, and episode 1 of Season 8. The majority of this story stays true to the facts as they have been provided to us by Blue Bloods and CBS. However, a small portion is how I would like to see the story line advance.

 **NOTE:** The entire premise of Linda being killed on May 28, 2017 shows the lack of due diligence by the show's writers, producers, and fact checkers. May 28 was a Sunday, the day before Memorial Day. Detectives do not work Sundays. Also, there was no need for Linda and Danny to swap shifts as their family was living with Frank and Henry (post fire) so it's not like they would have to leave the boys unsupervised if Danny was required to have pulled an earlier tour. Linda did not have to remain at home with them and could have worked her normal Sunday shift. Also, Church and Sunday Dinner? Hello! Neither Danny nor Linda would have had shifts scheduled for a Sunday. Very sloppy writing.

Now, for my story:

A **CHAIN OF EVENTS** is a causation theory in the field of aviation, that multiple contributing events typically lead to an accident rather than one single event and had this chain been broken at any point between the first and the final event, the accident would not have occurred. – U.S. National Transportation Safety Board

 **The First Link** **:**

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

6:09 a.m.

Danny sat alone at the kitchen table, already engrossed in his second cup of coffee. He had spent the previous hour going through his, Linda's, and the boys' list of what they lost in the fire and was now reviewing the insurance policy, or at least as much of the legalistic mumbo jumbo as he could make out. For once he envied Erin's and Jamie's law school education as they would have no problem figuring out what it provided. He would have to ask one of them for their help but as the oldest, he detested relying upon his younger siblings for help. He was supposed to be there for them, not the other way around.

He was so engrossed in the legalese of the contract that he didn't hear Linda as she slipped beside him, putting her arm around his neck, momentarily startling him.

"Danny, you didn't come to bed again last night." She said.

"I did, for a couple of hours. I didn't want to wake you." He replied.

Linda knew that Danny was unable to sleep, having constant worries over their current housing situation, not to mention the guilt he was carrying over the loss of their house being collateral damage from doing his job.

"I'm trying to figure out exactly what this says." Danny stated while holding up the policy.

"Ask Erin or Jaime". She wisely counselled.

"Guess I'll have to." He reluctantly agreed.

Linda had seen this too many times. The sin of pride. "Danny, they are your sister and brother, you don't have to feel ashamed to ask for their help. They want to help us in any way they can, so knock off the eldest sibling attitude and ask." She firmly ordered.

"After Church." He replied, knowing that no business was done on a Sunday until after the family returned home from Sunday Mass.

As Linda was helping herself to her first cup of coffee, Danny's phone rang.

"Reagan" he answered.

"I'm taking the night tour, so it will have to wait until then." He replied while mouthing "Baez" to Linda, who nodded in acknowledgement.

Linda watched as Danny's frustrated face appeared and the anger began building up behind his now squinting eyes.

Danny looked up to Linda. "Any chance we can swap shifts today? I have to head in. We caught a lead on a serial killer and the Lieutenant wants me back in forthwith."

"Let me call the hospital and find out." Linda advised while pulling her own phone from her pocket.

"She's checking" Danny advised Maria.

After a couple of minutes passed by, Linda nodded. "I can switch to tonight." She concluded. "Just make sure that you are back by 3:00 p.m. for dinner" she warned.

"Thank you." Danny replied before advising Maria that he would be at the squad within the hour, and headed upstairs to shower and dress.

Neither Danny or Linda realized that a simple swapping of shifts, something they had done on numerous occasions since Linda returned to work five years earlier, would constitute the first link in a chain of events that would lead to a tragic scenairo that nobody could see coming.

 **The Second Link** :

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Long Island City, Queens, NY

8:42 a.m.

The Bell 430 twin engine helicopter sat basking in the morning sunlight at its East River helipad located along Vernon Road, south of the Queensborough Bridge in Long Island City, New York.

Having just completed another run from an accident site in Yonkers to a hospital in Brooklyn.

The pilot completed the log for the flight and signed it. Next, he wrote up what had to be his 10th complaint regarding a vibration in the tail which he would file with the maintenance supervisor on his way out. He was scheduled to be back on duty at 6:00 p.m.

The Bell 430 was owned by _MediVac_ Air Ambulatory Services, Ltd., a New York corporation which itself was a wholly owned subsidiary of Life Flight One, Inc., a Delaware holding company which owned 12 assorted medical transport entities.

 _MediVac_ had been acquired by Life Flight One nine months earlier when _MediVac_ 's prior owner, _MediVac New York City LLC_ had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, having drowned in the debt of maintaining its aging fleet of nine helicopters, of which the Bell 430 in question was the oldest.

A surprise inspection of its aging fleet by the Federal Aviation Administration resulted in _MediVac_ having the Air Worthiness certificates on six of its nine choppers suspended until both the required maintenance and corresponding records were brought current and approved by the FAA, along with _Medivac_ paying a fine of $5,000 per violation, of which there were several, because this was not the first time the FAA had found the fleet to be out of compliance on these matters.

 _MediVac_ was unaware that Life Flight had dropped a dime to the FAA when a _MediVac_ mechanic who had been terminated for drinking on the job sought employment with Life Flight and spilled the beans as to the maintenance conditions of the _MediVac_ fleet.

With the cost of the fines and compliance exceeding the company's means or ability to finance those costs, bankruptcy was _MediVac_ 's only solution and Life Flight One was only too happy to step in and with one swoop of the mighty pen, put a competitor out of business while acquiring another company and its nine additional helicopters to add to its own aging, and marginally maintained fleet, not to mention the accounts, contracts, and most importantly, billables that came along with the package.

The Bell 430 currently basking in the glow of a new day had been operating in twenty hour cycles for the past five months, having barely regained her Air Worthiness Certificate. Numerous pilots had noted a perceptible shimmy coming from the aft end of the aircraft and had both complained about it and noted it in their logbooks. Mechanics and their supervisors had all signed off that the helicopter performed as designed and there were no maintenance issues discovered upon inspection.

 **The Third Link** **:**

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

3:25 p.m.

Made famous by Nathan's Hot Dogs and the Cyclone roller coaster, Coney Island is America's most storied and famous amusement park, or so we mistakenly believe. In fact, Coney Island is a peninsular residential neighborhood, beach, and leisure/entertainment destination on the Coney Island Channel which is part of the Lower Bay in the southwestern part of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. In actuality, the Coney Island Cyclone is located in Luna Park which is an amusement park located on Coney Island.

The historic wooden roller coaster opened 90 years ago on June 26, 1927, declared a New York City landmark on July 12, 1988, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 26, 1991.

What most people see and therefore believe, is that the cars sit on the track like a locomotive train and that their weight and gravitational forces keep the cars "glued" to the track so that they don't fall off. What we don't see, and what would spoil the fun in knowing, is that there is a separate set of guide wheels which ride along the underside of the track rail and which are attached to brackets that keep the wheels fixed to the track for a safe and thrilling experience.

Both due to its age and being constructed of wood, the ride requires constant maintenance to insure its safe operation. Maintenance personnel are hired by the ride's operator and spend their days attending to all the details which include the cars, their wheels, the tracks, the wooden frame, and the operating system, all of which must be in perfect working order to ensure that the only terror we perceive is an illusion as opposed to the real thing.

Each car holds eight people in a two abreast by four in line configuration. Three cars are connected to form a train. There are three trains in operation though only one train is actually riding the tracks at any given time while the other two trains are in the process of loading and unloading riders.

While three trains may be in operation, not all cars can operate all the time and each require inspection and maintenance. As such, there are other cars which form other trains which are exchanged as required so that all cars are regularly serviced.

Mobaku Motumbo was born in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. He had migrated to New York City a year earlier along with his now very pregnant wife who was due at any moment.

Mobaku was employed by the Cyclone's operator to maintain the roller coaster's cars and it was his job to inspect each set of track wheels and guide wheels for wear or damage, and to ensure they were securely fastened to the cars.

Mobaku was diligent and took pride in his work and was keen that he was responsible for the safety of so many having a fun time on his ride, particularly the children. One of his greatest wishes was to one day bring his child to ride the Great Cyclone as he called it, and to show what he did to make it safe for others to ride.

At 3:25 p.m. Mobaku had completed his work on the first two cars of a spare train and was in the process of loosening the left front wheel on the third car when his cellphone rang.

He put down his tools and answered it whereupon he was informed by his wife that their child wanted to come into the world and she did not think it would wait much longer to do so. She had called an ambulance and informed him to get to the hospital.

Mobaku was ecstatic and completely forget what he was doing, let alone the gravity of his interrupted routine.

He quickly tossed his tools into his toolbox and ran to the maintenance building where he clocked out and informed the supervisor he was about to become a father. The supervisor looked up from his television, wished him luck, and returned his attention to the Yankees game then taking place in the Bronx.

 **The Fourth Link** **:**

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

7:47 p.m.

Combine Pugsly from "The Addams Family; with Augustus Gloop from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", and a real-life version of Eric Cartman from "South Park". Then turn that person into a 19 year old female and you have the one and only Martina (lard ass) Grasso of South Hackensack, New Jersey.

To put it kindly, she was a loud-mouthed, obnoxious, narcissistic pig, a human food processing machine who would eat anything and everything in her path. At 5'8" tall, she porked out at a healthy 249 pounds.

She had arrived at Coney Island two hours earlier and had proceeded to eat a path through the midway, starting at Nathan's and hitting every possible chicken, fried food, pizza, pretzel, ice cream, hot dog stand, and sugar shack she could lay her ham hocks on though in all fairness, she only consumed diet beverages.

It was no wonder that when she rode the Cyclone at 7:47 p.m. and that the forces of gravity met the swill of sewage then occupying her stomach, that she wound up establishing a new world's record for projectile vomiting at speed.

Having defied the laws of physics, she had managed to squeeze her 60-inch ass into the front right seat of the second car which resulted in those ahead of her receiving a puke bath, while those behind her were treated to an aerial spray. More importantly, the train was now coated in her barf.

When the train returned to the gate, 23 fuming passengers poured out of the train, leaving fat ass Grasso who had to be physically extricated because her 60" caboose was firmly wedged into the seat, along with a coating of rancid egg smelling diarrhea.

Having finally freed the foul and offensive beast from the clutches of the Great Cyclone (Mobaku would have had a hearty laugh but he was at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center holding his newborn son) the gate supervisor immediately gave the train the "heave ho", pardon the pun, and ordered a spare to replace it which is why 15 minutes later, the incompletely repaired train Mobaku had been working on when he received the call causing him to beat feet for the hospital, was making its way into position at the platform gate, ready to take on more thrill seekers, who had no conception of the magnitude of the ride to which the Cyclone would treat them.

 **The Fifth Link** **:**

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

9:18 p.m.

"But Mom, I wanna go again"! Cried out 12-year-old Scotty McIlroy of Breezy Point, Queens. "Please?" He begged.

Rory McIlroy looked at her watch. "Okay, but this is the last ride. By the time we get home and you have your shower, it will be after 11:00 p.m., and even if tomorrow is a holiday, that's still past your bedtime. She informed her precocious son.

"Okay Mom, last ride and then we're out of here." He smiled.

"Go." Rory ordered and Scotty ran up the steps.

At that time of night things were starting to slow down and by the time the train was ready to board, Scotty found himself sitting in the right rearmost seat in the third car of the train.

Now, if you asked most people where they prefer to sit in a roller coaster, they would undoubtedly tell you the front car, because that's where you see the dips, drops, and spins the best, however, those who are very good with science and physics will usually head for the back because the laws of nature act more forcibly on the rear of the train than they do on the front, which causes it to have a whip effect, just like a tail.

Scotty was an excellent science student and he knew just where he wanted to sit and to his great fortune, there was nobody else in the third car so he had the forces of gravity and physics all to himself.

Unbeknownst to its passengers, this was the spare train that Mobaku had been working on earlier and it had made its first run of the night at 8:04 p.m. This run would be number thirteen.

Scotty waived as the train pulled away from the gate platform before slowly making its way up to the chain track which would carry it 85 feet to the top, at which point the nose of the lead car would begin its dip to meet the 58.1 degree angle on the first drop in order to begin its 60 miles per hour run across the 2,640 feet of track. The entire ride lasts 1 minute and 50 seconds.

As the train slowly climbed towards the top of the first apex, the front left bolt on the left front guide wheel of the third car, which Mobaku had previously loosened and had been subjected to the forces of the previous twelve runs across the track, finally fell out. This put additional load forces on the remaining front bolt as well as the two rear bolts which had also been loosened. As the train began its descent from the top of the first peak, the third car began to vibrate as it laterally pitched, barely held on the track by the weakened guide wheel.

The train approached the first turn and when it did, the forces now applied to the guide wheel pulled free the second front bolts leaving only the two rear bolts having any effect of holding the guide wheel in place.

As the train dropped again to gain speed to climb the second apex, the third bolt fell out which now permitted the left front of the third car to begin swaying side to side but the straw that broke the camel's back, and Scotty's, was the plunge from the second peak.

As the train gained speed, the fourth bolt let go and the guide wheel shot out. This transferred the load forces to the remaining wheels of the car which were unable to accept them as the third car began leaning into its now overstressed right side. As the train hit the bottom of the second apex, the third car snapped free of the second car and shot off the track.

To ride the Cyclone, you must be 55" tall. At 56" Scotty barely made it and at 100 pounds he was a willowy kid. The safety bar which went across his lap was designed to hold and protect individuals who were larger in average build. In addition to the posted signs, Scotty had been verbally warned to at all times hold onto the lap bar, but he was twelve years old and excited so just one time he wanted to toss his hands in the air as everyone else did, which unfortunately was at the exact moment that the rear of the train snapped up like a serpent's tail and ejected him out of the car as if he had been shot from a canon, directly into the Cyclone's wooden frame.

As Scotty lay motionless across a wooden crossbeam, Rory McIlroy began to scream.

Several calls were made to 911 and in true fashion, New York City's Bravest responded in force.

 **The Sixth Link** **:**

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

St. Victor's Hospital, Trauma Ward

Manhattan, NY

9:29 p.m.

"TRAUMA TEAM 1 – ALERT: TRAUMA TEAM 1 – ALERT" The hospital speaker in the trauma wing began blaring, along with a flashing red light.

Linda was the supervisory trauma nurse on duty. Part of her swapping shifts that day required that she cover for the trauma team nurse as opposed to working her standard shift in the emergency room. Had she not swapped shifts...

She quickly picked up the phone.

"Trauma One" she stated.

"Trauma One, _MediVac_ flight inbound to St. Victor's helipad. ETA 3 minutes. Report of roller coaster accident involving minor child, Coney Island. FDNY on scene. Trauma Team One respond." The dispatcher reported.

"Trauma Team One, acknowledged." Linda replied before paging the remainder of her life flight staff.

Within 3 minutes Linda, along with Dr. Stephen Weissman and nurse Karen Gard were standing on the helipad, gear in hand. The Bell 430 landed long enough for the medical personnel to board her. As soon as the door closed, they commenced their climb and direct flight to an improvised landing area at Coney Island that the NYPD and FDNY had cleared for them.

As much as Linda appreciated the NYPD, and Danny, Frank, Jamie, and even Joe for their professionalism, dedication, and courage, she had an even greater admiration for the FDNY for they truly were New York's bravest.

As the helicopter began its descent towards Surf Avenue, Linda thought she felt a thud behind her but when neither pilot reacted, she figured it was just a normal thing with a whirly bird, a form of turbulence.

She looked down and what she saw amazed her. A sea of FDNY apparatus, command vehicles, and EMS ambulances.

Linda knew that the FDNY had a lot of engine and ladder companies, and seven squad companies, but it was the five Heavy Rescue companies that were the elite and the pride of the FDNY, so when she saw Rescue 2 from Brooklyn and Rescue 5 from Staten Island both on scene in addition to Squad 1 and Squad 41, she knew this was no ordinary rescue operation.

A Battalion Chief approached them. "Damned coaster ejected a kid right into the crossbeam over there" he pointed. "I've got two Rescue Companies trying to figure a way to stabilize and get him off the beam and down from there without moving him too much. For right now, he's breathing but barely. Fortunately, one of my guys on Rescue 2 was a corpsman in the Navy so he's the one handling the stabilization.

He pointed to the 100' aerial ladder truck and the 95' platform ladder truck parked alongside the Cyclone.

"We're set up to bring him down whichever way works better, either in the bucket, or we can secure him to the aerial and lower it down."

"Do you have any information on his vitals or other specifics?" Linda inquired.

"Hold one" the Chief responded before grabbing his mike.

"Battalion Four Three to Rescue 2 or Rescue 5" He stated.

"Rescue 2, go." Came the response.

"Life flight is here. Request vitals, K?"

"From Rescue 2: Patient is unconscious. Breathing very shallow. Suspect punctured lung, broken ribs, Possible spinal damage. Definite cerebral trauma. Pupils are dilated and not responsive. Pulse is weak. BP 83 over 49. Respiration thready, K."

"10-4, K." The Chief concluded.

An NYPD patrolman from the 60th precinct approached. "We have the boy's mother if you'd like to speak with her." He offered.

"We would, thank you." Linda replied.

"Rescue 5 to Battalion Four Three".

"Go for Four Three" The Chief replied.

"Chief, we're going to have to brace him on a backboard to get him down. Best way I can see doing it from this angle is strap it to the aerial and lower it down, K."

"10-4 Rescue 5, proceed as required, K" the Chief ordered.

Linda obtained the necessary information and signatures from Rory while the FDNY painstakingly extricated her son from the Cyclone's clutches. They both watched as the backboard was secured to the forward section of Ladder 166's aerial. The aerial began retracting, drawing Scotty closer towards the truck before turning to the right and leveling off. It swung around towards where the EMS crew was waiting and then gently lowered Scotty towards them until it he hovered next to the waiting gurney.

Linda and her staff immediately descended on Scotty, transferring him from the aerial to the gurney, checking his vitals, and preparing him for the flight back to St. Victors.

"I want to come with him." Rory pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but there isn't enough room." Linda gently replied.

"I'll bring her in" the Battalion Chief volunteered. "Go" He directed Linda.

"Let's get him aboard" Dr. Weissman ordered.

The pilots began the startup process and within two minutes, the helicopter began to rise from Coney Island destination, St. Victor's helipad.

 **The Final Link** **:**

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Above the Narrows

Brooklyn, NY

10:14 p.m.

 _MediVac_ Flight One began its routine climb out from Coney Island on a planned course that would take it over the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and then straight up Upper Bay and into St. Victors. As the helicopter climbed to 2,000 feet and began building speed, Linda both heard and felt an acute vibration above her but she kept her attention focused on Scotty, who by some miracle was barely hanging onto life.

As they approached the bridge, it felt as if someone had slapped the back of the helicopter with Thor's hammer while at the same time, there was a terrible banging noise and finally, a series of shrilly alarms started going off.

Up front, the pilots went into survival mode.

"Mayday, Mayday, this is _MediVac_ Flight One" The Co-Pilot began as the Pilot wrestled with the now crippled aircraft.

"Inbound from Coney Island to St. Victor's Hospital. We have structural failure of the tail rotor mechanism, possibly the drive shaft or the tail rotor gear box. Six souls on board, approaching eastern side of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge from the south. Mayday Mayday."

Without the tail rotor to counter the main rotor's torque, the helicopter began spinning wildly on its axis. The pilot tried to slow the spin so that the stricken helicopter could safely auto rotate down, but there was too much energy suddenly released when the tail rotor failed and he couldn't counter the spin. They were dangerously close to the bridge and he valiantly tried to bring the nose up to go above the bridge rails but to no avail. The swinging tail boom struck the south side of the bridge frame causing the helicopter to roll over onto its side and careen into the Narrows below.

Linda's last conscious thought in this lifetime was not of Danny and their sons, but of a secret she had kept from them.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunday, May 28, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

10:50 p.m.

Frank and Henry sat in their customary chairs, Frank reading a book, while Henry worked his crossword puzzle.

Jack and Sean had headed up to bed an hour ago with Danny finally following. Frank hoped that Danny would finally sleep through the night.

Frank's phone began to ring. At this hour, it usually meant nothing good. Jamie was on tour tonight so his first thought as always was to hope that nothing had befallen his youngest.

"Reagan" he answered.

"Frank, it's Stan Rourke."

Frank instantly became alert as there must be good cause as to why his counterpart with the FDNY would be calling his personal cellphone at that hour of the night

"Stan, is there a situation?" Frank inquired.

"Have you been watching the news?" Rourke inquired.

"I was waiting until eleven o'clock" Frank replied.

"Then I'm glad I caught you first. Frank, there's no easy way to say this. There was an accident tonight at Coney Island, one of the Cyclone's cars came off the track and ejected a 12-year-old boy into the coaster's framing beams. Took my guys 45 minutes to get him down." Rourke advised.

Frank winced: "Is he alive?"

"He was. We called for a life flight and a _MediVac_ copter responded. On its way back to the hospital with the pilot radioed in a Mayday that their tail rotor malfunctioned and they lost control south of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge."

"What happened?" Frank asked, his calm demeanor beginning to fade as fear began gnawing at the edges of his restraint.

"They struck the south side of the Bridge on the Brooklyn side and went down in the Narrows. Divers from Rescue 1 and Rescue 4 along with Marine 1 and Marine 9, recovered the bodies. No survivors" Rourke informed Frank.

Frank may have bled NYPD blue, but he was well aware that the companies mentioned by Rourke were among the finest the FDNY had to offer. The Members who served on Rescue 1 out of Manhattan and Rescue 4 from Queens, along with Rescue 5 which was still at Coney Island, were all SCUBA certified in water rescue operations. Marine 1 and Marine 9 were the FDNY's relatively new 27-million-dollar a piece fire boats, the _Three Forty-Three_ , based out of Manhattan's lower west side and named for the number of FDNY Members who died on September 11, 2001, and the _Firefighter II_ , based out of Staten Island, that replaced the now retired _Firefighter_ which had most admirably served the city from 1938-2010.

"Do you need me to call out my harbor units?" Frank asked.

"No Frank, I appreciate it but that's not why I called. The pilot radioed in that they were inbound to St. Victor's so we called the hospital for a manifest of their personnel onboard the helicopter." Rourke explained.

Frank felt as if he had been punched in the gut for he knew what was coming next.

"Linda." Frank barely whispered.

"I'm sorry Frank, but yes, your daughter-in-law was onboard. The water is only 40 feet deep at that point. Divers from Rescue 1 recovered her body 10 minutes ago. As soon as we confirmed her identity, I was notified who she was and I felt it best that you hear this from me. Frank, my deepest condolences, and if there is anything that I or the FDNY can do for you or your family, you need only ask." Rourke concluded.

Somehow, Frank found what remained of his voice. "Thank you Stan, could you please tell me where they are taking her?" He inquired.

"Office of the M.E. along with the other nurse, the doctor, the two pilots and the patient. Six in all, damnit Frank." Rourke replied. Frank could hear the pain in the other man's voice.

"Please thank your Members on behalf of myself and my family. I'll be in touch Stan." Frank replied as he hung up.

By now the tears were flowing and Henry noticed.

"Linda?" Henry cautiously inquired.

"She's gone Pop" he answered before relaying the information Stan Rourke had just provided.

"Call Erin and Jamie before you tell Danny. He and the boys are going to need them here as much as we will." Henry advised.

Frank quickly called Erin and Jamie and ordered them to the house. He would clear it with Jamie's C.O. in the morning. When questioned as to the nature of the emergency he informed them he would explain once everyone was present.

Within 20 minutes, Jamie had arrived followed 10 minutes later by Erin.

"What's going on Dad?" Jamie nervously asked.

Wait here, I have to go get Danny and the Boys.

Erin and Jamie looked at Henry and could tell that something was very wrong.

Once Danny, Jack, and Sean were present, everyone sat down.

"I received a call thirty-five minutes ago from Stan Rourke, the commissioner of the FDNY. There was a tragic accident tonight at Coney Island that required the airlift of a patient from the amusement park to the hospital. While enroute the helicopter experienced mechanical failure, struck the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, and plummeted into the Narrows." Frank looked down at his hands, unable to face the looks he knew were about to come from his son and grandsons.

"Commissioner Rourke informed me that one of the nurses on board was Linda." Frank finished.

"What hospital is she at?" Danny asked as he got up to head out.

"Danny, there were no survivors. All six on board were lost." Henry informed him.

Erin let out a muffled cry as Jamie hung his head in his hands.

"Mom's dead?" Jack haltingly asked.

"Yes Jack, I'm so sorry." Frank replied.

"It can't be, she was just going to work her normal shift at St. Victor's. It must be a mistake." Danny replied.

"Stan informed me that divers from Rescue 1 pulled her out of the Narrows and positively identified her. When they confirmed with St. Victors that she was on the helicopter, they called him and he called me." Frank choked out.

"Where is she now?" Sean asked.

"At the medical examiner's office." Frank replied.

"Dad, we have go there now. We have to be sure that it's her." Sean pleaded.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea Sean." Henry cautioned.

"Actually, it is." Danny answered. "She was their mother as much as my wife. We'll all make the positive I.D. together, as a family. It's what Linda would want." He gently stated.

"I'll call and get things moving." Frank stated before placing a call to his trusted aide Abigail Baker.

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

Manhattan, NY

1:14 a.m.

Frank, Danny, Jack, and Sean entered the office of the Medical Examiner for the City of New York. Waiting for them was Garrett, Sid, Abigail, and the Medical Examiner himself.

They were led to a viewing room where Linda lay on the other side of the window, waiting for the curtain to be drawn back.

"No, not this way Dad. We want to go and see her in person." Danny stated.

"Danny, are you sure?" Frank inquired.

"Yeah, we're sure." Danny answered as Jack and Sean nodded their support.

The M.E. led Danny and the boys into the morgue proper and closed the door. It didn't take long for the remainder of those waiting outside to hear the anguish that Danny, Jack, and Sean were experiencing. Frank, Garrett, Sid, and Abigail all had tears in their eyes.

A few moments later, Sean and Jack exited and walked right over to Frank who wrapped his arms around them.

Then after what seemed minutes later, Danny stepped out. Sid stepped forward and offered his hand but instead Danny hugged his former squad sergeant who responded in kind.

Then Danny withdrew, put his arms around his boys, nodded to his father, and walked out of the M.E.'s office, with Frank and company in tow.

When they arrived back in Bay Ridge, Danny told the boys to try to get some sleep, that the next few days were going to be long and difficult. Once they had returned upstairs, he looked at his siblings.

"We have a funeral to plan and I have to notify Linda's sister and brother before they hear this on the news." He exclaimed.

"We have Wendy's and Jimmy's numbers ready for you." Jamie said.

Danny smirked at his baby brother. "Boy scout, always prepared."

"If you want, one of us could make those calls." Erin volunteered.

"We also need to review Linda's Trust and Will to see if there are any special instructions or wishes that she had." Jamie noted.

Danny looked up quizzically at his brother. "Huh?"

"She may have left special instructions for the service, the internment." Jamie replied.

"Jack Boyle drew up our Wills. I know that Linda had made some changes to hers after she went back to work." Danny noted.

"I'll call Jack." Erin advised as she speed dialed her ex-husband.

"Has anybody told Nicky?" Danny asked.

"She's up at Columbia. We didn't want to call her tonight." Jamie replied.

"We can't let her find out on the news, Linda was like a second mother to her. Come on, we're taking a drive." Danny stated as he grabbed Jamie by the collar and half dragged him to Jamie's car. "You drive, I have to call Baez and let her know."

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Columbia University

Manhattan, NY

3:19 a.m.

Danny called his partner followed by Linda's sister, Wendy, and her brother, Jimmy. Suffice to say all were shocked by the news and would come out to Bay Ridge in the morning.

Jamie and Danny parked and walked towards Nicky's apartment building. "Call her kid, tell her to come down." Danny ordered.

Jamie speed dialed Nicky who answered on the third ring. "Hey Nick, Danny and I are downstairs, we need to see you." Jamie informed her.

Not a minute later Nicky came blasting through the door, knowing that something was wrong. Her uncles weren't in the habit of making middle of the night bedtime checks.

"Is it Pops or Grandpa?" Nicky launched as she reached her uncles.

"No, their fine." Jaime answered.

"OMG, Mom?" Nicky panicked.

"No Nicky, your mother is fine." Danny replied.

"Then what has you two here at this hour?" Nicky suspiciously asked as she looked from one uncle to the next and back again.

Danny reached out and pulled Nicky close to him. "It's Linda." Danny choked out as he began to explain.

Nicky screamed into Danny's chest as her knees buckled. It took both uncles to hold her up as she cried.

Once Nicky calmed down enough to stand on her own, Jamie asked her to grab what she needed, that they were taking her with them back to Bay Ridge.

The drive back to Bay Ridge was solemn as not much was said. Nicky had inquired about her cousins, and asked what she could do to help.

"One of the great regrets of our marriage is that we never had a daughter." Danny stated as they headed south on the FDR. "I mean, we love our boys, but we both wanted a girl. If I hadn't reenlisted in the Marines, we would have tried for one." Danny turned around and faced Nicky. "Linda always considered you the daughter she never had."

"In some ways she was another mother to me, someone I could go to when I couldn't talk to Mom, or when Mom was in one of her judgmental moods about something or other, you know?." Nicky replied.

"Yeah, we both know something about that." Jamie laughed as Danny nodded.

"You know, maybe its me. Maybe God has it out for me." Danny remarked.

"What are you talking about?" Nicky asked.

"First, Grandma Betty. She never should have died so young. Look at Pops, he's still around and kicking like a mule 16 years after she died. Then my mother. Then my brother. Now my wife. What' it going to be next, one of my sons? If he's so angry with me, why doesn't he leave everyone else alone and cast me into hell." Danny replied.

"Come on Danny, knock off that kind of talk." Jamie responded.

"What, it's true. Even the near misses. How many times you been in and out of the hospital? Linda was looking at getting you on a points system for upgrades. Then last year with Thomas Wilder taking Nicky? And Erin getting shot and the time Dad saved her from that rapist? What about Pop's Thanksgiving heart attack or Dad getting shot coming out of Delmonico's? And don't forget Sean's bike riding accident." Danny reminded them.

"Nothing's happened to Jack." Nicky replied.

"Or to you." Jamie informed Danny.

"Maybe it should have happened to me by now, between being a Marine and a cop, maybe it should have. Maybe I've cheated death so many times that God is taking away my family, a person at a time, just to remind me that for every five times I skate clean that it costs me someone else. Maybe if I'm gone, the rest of you are safe." Danny refuted.

Jamie looked into the rear-view mirror to see Nicky's eyes staring right back into his. The message was instantly communicated. Danny was officially on a family-wide suicide watch.


	3. Chapter 3

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

1:00 p.m.

"Some Memorial Day this year" Henry quipped to Frank as he entered the kitchen.

"We have to be grateful for the time we had her, for the happiness she brought Danny, and for giving birth to and raising two fine young men" Frank countered.

"Amen to that" Henry replied.

The front door bell rang which Erin announced she would answer.

After a couple of minutes, she entered the kitchen and informed her father and grandfather that Jack Boyle had arrived and that everyone was assembling in the dining room for the reading of Linda's Will and Trust.

Boyle was seated in Henry's customary place at the foot of the table, Danny to his left, and Sean and then Jack to his right.

Henry looked at Boyle occupying his chair but before he could fire off one of his famous retorts, Erin advised that this would be the most convenient way for Boyle to address everyone so Henry could sit to Frank's left, the spot formerly occupied by Linda.

"I'm sorry that I have to be here today." Boyle began. "I had hoped that a successor to my legal practice would be reading this to Jack and Sean when they were much older and had children, even grandchildren of their own."

"How about we just get on with it Jack." Danny quipped, making it clear that he would rather be anywhere else in the world that moment than where he was.

"Sure Danny, sorry." Boyle replied.

"The Last Will and Testament of Linda O'Shea Reagan, dated June 9, 2015." Boyle began.

At that moment the front door bell rang. "Jamie, why don't you see who that is?" Frank requested.

"Sure Dad." Jamie replied. When he opened the front door, the first thing he noticed was not the two men standing before him, but one of the FDNY's five Heavy Rescue rigs idling in front of the house. He couldn't stop staring at it knowing that those who manned it saved lives or prevented the loss of life daily. He was finally pulled out of his daydream.

"I know, I ride her three shifts a week and I still get awestruck when I see her" Stated the younger of the two men standing before him wearing the bars of an FDNY lieutenant.

"I work out of the 12th so I know that Rescue 1 is out of Manhattan. What brings you to Brooklyn?" Jamie inquired.

The older man held out his hand which Jamie shook. "You must be Jamison, the Police Commissioner's youngest son" the man stated factually. "I'm Stan Rourke, your father's counterpart for the FDNY" he informed Jamie. "This is Lieutenant Marty Sanderson, the officer who was in charge of Rescue 1 last night. We have some information to share with your dad and brother."

"Of course, please, come in." Jamie stated before directing the two men into front living room. "I'll get them."

Jamie entered the dining room where upon Frank looked up.

"Commissioner Rourke and Lieutenant Sanderson of the FDNY. Says they have intel for you and Danny." Jamie informed his father.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Boyle inquired as he rose up from the table.

"Not at all." Frank answered for everyone. "Jack, Sean, why don't you come as well".

"Dad" Danny stated to object but Frank cut him off.

"Dan" Frank cautioned. "Jack and Sean are old enough to hear this. The days of sending them away from the table are behind us, especially when it relates to you or their mother." He concluded.

Danny knew that this was not the time to pick a battle with his father, so he grudgingly acquiesced, waiving the boys towards the living room. Upon entering, introductions were made.

Commissioner Rourke began. "First of all, I wanted you to meet Lieutenant Marty Sanderson of Rescue 1. He recovered your mother last night" he directed to the boys before continuing.

"Second, Lieutenant Sanderson holds a Master's Degree from Columbia in Mechanical Engineering. After listening to the tape of the Mayday call from the _MediVac_ flight, he dove on the wreck earlier this morning and acquired these stills and videos" Rourke concluded as he handed frank a fob drive.

"Lieutenant?" Rourke inquired.

"Commissioner, Detective" he began addressing Frank and Danny. "The stills and video I took indicate a major structural failure of the tail rotor mechanism. Based upon what I observed, the failure was due to two separate causes that came together at the same moment. One, the gear box had not been maintained, in fact, even underwater, corrosion of the mechanism is evident. Two, there was likely a fatigue crack in the tail rotor drive shaft, which eventually failed causing the aft section of the shaft to break free. If the gear box had been maintained, it's likely that the shaft would not have become overstressed and failed, but the moment it did, there was no longer drive to the tail rotor. The alternative is had the fatigue crack in the driveshaft been detected and the driveshaft replaced, then its likely it would have continued to have driven the tail rotor despite the corrosion in the gear box". Either way, the tail rotor would not have failed". Sanderson concluded.

"Wait a minute" Danny began. "You're talking about that little rotor on the side there? What does that matter, the big one keeps the thing up in the air."

Rourke weighed in: "Each manufacturer designs its helicopters to perform in a specific manner, starting with, does the main rotor rotate clockwise, or counter-clockwise. The laws of physics cause a counter rotation from the torque created by the travel of the main rotor, so, if the main rotor travels counter-clockwise, then torque would cause the helicopter to spin on its axis clockwise. What allows you to keep it flying in a normal manner is the tail rotor, which is driven by a drive shaft connected to the main engines at one end, and to the tail rotor gear box at the other end. The moment the tail rotor failed, there was no way to control the torque and if that torque is violently released, as it was last night, the helicopter is almost immediately beyond the pilot's ability to recover it." He concluded.

"And you know this how?" Frank gently chided Rourke.

"Like you, I served as a Marine in Vietnam but while you were humping an M14 rifle through the jungles, I was flying a Huey". He informed Frank, before continuing. "A Go Team from The National Transportation Safety Board is on its way to investigate the accident."

Sanderson spoke up: "The NTSB does not assign blame or fault. There is no criminal element to their investigation. It will only determine the cause(s) or probable cause(s) leading to the incident so that corrective action may be taken to avoid a future accident of this type. Therefore, I suggest that the NYPD or another agency investigate this as an act of criminal negligence and investigate accordingly."

Danny looked him dead in the eyes. "You're saying my wife was murdered?" He inquired.

Sanderson fixed him with the same gaze. "I'm saying that someone is responsible for allowing that helicopter to fly in the mechanical condition it was in last night. It should have never left the ground and because of it, one mother has lost her son and five families have each lost a parent. Because corporate greed overrode explicit safety protocols, your wife and five other innocent people are dead. Because someone elected to overlook what had to be obvious maintenance issues with this helicopter in order to save a buck, your family and five others are now grieving."

"One question." Danny directed at Rourke. "Did they have any kind of chance?"

"No Danny. Once the tail rotor failed the helicopter began spinning clockwise until the tail boom struck the bridge. At that moment, it turned on its side and just dropped." He answered.

"Would Linda have known? Danny asked.

"She would have most likely heard a loud bang followed immediately by the wild spinning so yes, she likely knew something was wrong. Other than that, we aren't sure whether anyone was alive when they hit the water or not. That's up to the M.E. to tell us." Sanderson answered.

Danny nodded before offering Sanderson his hand. "Thank you, Lieutenant, for going above and beyond on this".

Sanderson nodded. "The FDNY and NYPD may squabble at one another but at the end of the day, we serve the same city. We protect your families and you protect ours."

"And now I owe the FDNY two big ones to even the account." Danny stated.

Sanderson handed Danny and Boyle his card. "If I can be of any further help, please let me know."

Frank walked the two men to the door. "Thank you both". He stated as he shook hands.

Once all had returned to the dining room, Boyle picked up where he had left off.

"The Last Will and Testament of Linda O'Shea Reagan, dated June 9, 2015." Boyle continued.

"This Will shall supersede and invalidate all previous Wills and Testaments. It transfers all property held in Linda's name to the Linda O'Shea Reagan Revocable Trust. It provides that in the event she predeceases Danny, that he retain legal custody of the minor children born of the marriage, to wit: John (Jack) Francis Reagan, d/o/b September 17, 2000, and Sean O'Shea Reagan, d/o/b June 19, 2004, until such time they attain the legal age of majority. In the event Danny has predeceased Linda or, that he has failed to designate custody of the boys subsequent to Linda's death, She directs that Jamie act as Jack's guardian and Erin as Sean's.

"What?" Sean asked in an exasperated tone.

"Thanks for the ringing endorsement Sean." Erin quipped from across the table.

Boyle stepped in knowing this was coming. "Your mother made her reasoning clear to me and it's in my dictated notes. First of all, when she executed this Will, Jack was almost 16. She also felt that Jack was more like her personality wise. He would follow the rules but would also need more of a male figure at that point in his life, getting ready for college, girls. Also, Jamie is much more of a pushover than Erin. Sean, your mother felt that at 12, you still needed a mother figure in your life as well a firmer hand than Jamie could provide because as she described you, 'he has so damned much of his father and Henry in him'."

"Chip off the old block" Henry smiled.

"Always said that Danny took more after you than his mother or me." Frank replied.

"Pushover huh?" Jamie commented.

"Strict?" Erin stated.

"Linda was right on all of it." Danny smirked.

"I agree." Nicky opined.

"I'd keep the same arrangements Linda made. As always, she had the boys' best interests at heart." Danny noted. "That is, if their pushover uncle and strict aunt would want them." He quipped.

"Of course we would Danny." Erin admonished her elder brother.

"Jack can come and go whenever he wants, just leave a note buddy." Jamie informed his nephew.

"Sean can plan on receiving nightly spankings." Erin teased.

"Okay, enough, let's get through this." Frank stated.

That's about it for the Will. Danny, you're the Personal Representative but there isn't much to do as everything is controlled by the Trust. We may want to leave the Estate itself open for now based upon the information the FDNY just provided.

"Why's that?" Danny inquired.

"Because Danny, you and the boys may have a significant wrongful death action against the owner of that machine, whomever maintained it, the manufacturer of the gear box and drive shaft. It's too early to know, but any legal action would have to be brought in your name as Personal Representative of the Estate of Linda O'Shea Reagan." Boyle answered.

Danny looked towards his sister. "Erin?" He asked.

"Jack's right, plus you and the boys would each have your own claim for Linda's loss." She replied.

"Yeah, but suing over this, not really our style you know." Danny sheepishly remarked.

"Dan, you're now a single income family. Your sons are going to be heading to college soon and as Jack and Erin can tell you, it isn't cheap." Jaime stated.

"Actually, that is one problem Danny won't have to deal with." Boyle remarked.

"Why not?" Frank inquired.

"Because Linda planned ahead. She held two separate life insurance policies which contained triple indemnity clauses." Boyle responded.

"Triple indemnity, what's that?" Danny asked.

"Let's say that you take out a life insurance policy with a payoff of $25,000 in the event of your death. If you die naturally, the insurance carrier pays $25,000. Many people carry a double indemnity meaning, if they are killed on their job, or in an accident such as a plane crash, or their hit by a bus, then the carrier pays out double the policy amount. In a triple indemnity, you have two contributing factors beyond her control. In Linda's case, she was in an aviation accident so double indemnity is automatic. Triple indemnity would apply if we can prove gross negligence or a criminal act beyond her control lead to the crash, which was a proximate cause of her death. I believe based on what Lt. Sanderson stated to us this morning, that you can." Boyle answered.

"She had more than one policy?" Jamie inquired.

"Two actually." Boyle replied. "The first policy was purchased through her membership in the New York Nurses Union. The second policy was purchased by Linda directly through an insurance broker after she was shot at St. Victors. Both policies contain triple indemnity provisions and both policies are current and in force." Boyle responded.

"What are the stated policy values Jack?" Erin inquired.

"The first policy has a payout of $100,000." He answered.

"That's $300,000 triple indemnity." Erin replied.

"And the second?" Jamie inquired.

"$250,000." Boyle replied.

"Or $750,000 triple indemnity." Jamie noted.

"Wait a minute, you're telling me that if we can show this triple indemnity provision has to pay out these amounts" Danny began.

"Then Linda's Trust will be receiving proceed checks totaling One Million Fifty Thousand Dollars" Boyle concluded, to the astonishment of the Reagan family.


	4. Chapter 4

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

3:45 p.m.

Jack Boyle had left an hour earlier having completed his presentation of the relevant portions of Linda's Trust.

Linda's bequests were few, but pointed.

Her grandmother's silver chain which had once been stolen from her and recovered, would go to her niece Sophie, and her engagement ring was to be used by the first of her sons to become engaged, should they so wish it. Otherwise, it would pass to the other son if he so desired.

The remainder of her jewelry and personal property was up to Danny and the boys to divide, gift, sell, or discard as they mutually elected, and any proceeds received divided equally.

Of the proceeds from the life insurance policies:

Jamie was to receive the sum of $10,000 if he passed the New York State Bar Exam within 24 months of her death. Otherwise, this sum would go to Danny. Linda had always believed that Jamie had wasted a fine legal education by not taking the exam and being prepared to practice law should the need arise. Her gift however was not completely altruistic. She knew that as a prosecutor, Erin could never act to defend or protect Danny or her sons however a licensed Jamie could, and at some point, would likely have to.

She left the sum of $2,500 each to Erin and Nicky with the expressed stipulation that they use the money for a mother-daughter mani-pedi-shopping day spree on her, followed by dinner, a Broadway musical, and a cheesecake dessert at Junior's in Brooklyn. She had always enjoyed the time the three of them had spent together sharing in these activities. "Just pretend that I'm right there with you." She had stated in her bequest.

The remainder of the proceeds were to be divided with 40% going to Danny free and clear, and the remaining 60% divided equally between Jack and Sean, to be placed in educational trusts that would pay for their college education. Jamie was to be the Trustee of these educational trusts with Erin as his successor. In this manner, the boys would not have to fight with their father over money.

Finally, she had left three letters, one each for Danny, Jack, and Sean, to be read prior to her funeral.

As successor trustee of the Linda O'Shea Reagan Trust, Danny had all lawful powers and privileges to do what was necessary to handle Linda's final affairs, including her funeral.

As her death occurred in the performance of her job, St. Victor's would pay up to $25,000 for the funeral expenses. The remainder would have been paid for by Danny however Frank and Henry insisted on covering whatever sum exceeded St. Victor's contribution.

After all: "Linda was my daughter and Pop's granddaughter" Frank informed them.

The funeral would take place the following Monday afternoon at the family's church with internment immediately following. Linda and Danny had purchased a double plot three rows from the plots which held the remains of Betty, Mary, and Joseph Reagan. Even in death, Danny didn't want to be far from his family and Linda had readily obliged him.

The one area that held some disagreement occurred over the holding of the traditional Irish wake. Linda's brother Jimmy and her sister Wendy, along with Henry and Erin believed the custom should be honored while Danny vehemently disagreed. He had attended enough cop wakes, including his younger brother's, to know how they quickly turned into noisy booze fests and the occasional fist fight. He would not expose his sons nor his wife's memory to such conduct.

Jamie came up with the solution to which Frank heartedly agreed. "When Jewish people die, they sit shivah" he informed everyone.

"In case you haven't noticed kid, we're not exactly Jewish." Danny replied.

"No we aren't however, the custom itself is more in line in what you're looking for." Jamie continued.

"How's that?" Danny asked.

Henry, who had attended several shivahs answered him. "Basically, the family sits for a period of time and their friends and relatives come to pay condolence calls. Many people bring or send food for the family. There doesn't have to be any alcohol so that will keep their visits short and sweet. At the shivah, the Rabbi or another learned member of the community leads a prayer for the dead called the Kaddish" which lasts about 10 minutes or so. Most of the time is spent sitting around, talking, telling antidotes and stories about the deceased and their relationships with them."

Danny nodded. "How long a period of time does this go on?" He inquired.

"Orthodox Jews hold shivah for seven nights. Reform Jews, one to three." Henry answered.

"We could hold just one night, and instead of the Kaddish prayer, maybe ask Father Steven to bless Linda, Danny, Jack and Sean." Nicky suggested to which Jack, Sean, Erin, Frank and Jamie agreed.

"Have it here Monday night, after the funeral". Frank offered.

"Your security detail will love that." Danny noted.

"You let me worry about my detail. Your only job right now is to take care of yourself and your sons." Frank lectured.

"Okay, I like the idea. It will get around pretty quickly there isn't any booze so those guys who only come for the open bar won't show. I don't want this turning into a cop wake." He made abundantly clear.

"It won't Danny, Baker and Nuciforo will see to that." Frank replied.

"Danny, if you'd like, I can go with you to pick out casket and make the arrangements." Erin offered.

"You coming too kid? Danny inquired.

"If you would like me to, sure Danny." Jamie answered.

Danny nodded, accepting his siblings offer, before looking up towards the ceiling. "Maybe Joe will be with us too."

"He's always with us Danny." Jamie replied.

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Manhattan, NY.

3:30 p.m.

The caller picked up his prepaid burner phone and pressed speed dial for the only number that had been programmed into the phone.

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Someplace south of the border, Mexico.

3:30 p.m.

Carlos Ruiz sat in the darkness of a corner booth in a local cantina, a gold Carta Blanca beer bottle in his hand, as he swayed back and forth to the 1956 song "Down in Mexico" by the Coasters.

Down in Mexicali

There's a crazy little place I know

Where the drinks are hotter than the chili sauce

And the boss is a cat named Joe

He wears a red bandana, plays a blue pianna

In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico

He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache

In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico.

Just as the next verse came over the speakers, his cell phone began to ring.

The incoming caller's number was blocked which could mean a lot of things, but he knew that he should answer it.

"Ola" He replied.

The caller dispensed with the pleasantries, immediately getting to the subject. "The O'Shea party must cancel their dinner reservations for tonight."

"I'm sorry, but this is not a restaurant." Carlos replied providing the correct response.

Perdóname, I must have dialed the incorrect number." The caller stated using the exact confirmation phrase as required, before disconnecting.

Carlos returned his phone to the table.

To look at him, one would swear that Carlos was a native Mexican. He had the tanned and weathered skin of a man who had long labored in the harsh sun of his native climate. His clothes were local and his hair was gray. The truth was, Carlos Ruiz was in reality, Victor Perez who was a native of Phoenix, Arizona, and who for 20 years had been a lineman for the Arizona Public Service Electric Company, hence the look.

Having put in his 20 years, he took his well-earned pension and moved south of the border, becoming a U.S. Expat.

Life was much slower, cheaper, and relaxed away from El Norte and the racist gringos he had serviced for 20 years however, a pension only went so far, even by Mexican standards, so Victor earned his beer money performing odd jobs which presently included, serving as a messenger boy, which is why he had just received the recent telephone call.

He had no idea who this O'Shea was, nor what cancelling their dinner reservations had to do with anything but his job was not to know or to reason why. He was like a gear in the mechanism of a machine. The caller said the right things to confirm the authenticity of the message, so his job was to tell the next person in line what was said. Once this was done, his job was over and he had earned himself a sweet 10,000 pesos, about $530 for less than 15 minutes' work.

He finished his beer, placed his Diablo Rojas de Mexico team baseball cap on his cabeza, and headed out to deliver the message, singing the tune he couldn't get out of his head.

So if you're south of the border

I mean down in Mexico

And you want to get straight,

Man, don't hesitate

Just look up a cat named Joe.

He wears a red bandana, plays a blue pianna

In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico

He wears a purple sash, and a black moustache

In a honky-tonk, down in Mexico.


	5. Chapter 5

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Somewhere south of the border, Mexico.

7:25 p.m.

Another U.S. Expat with his own story, Jim Timmerman found himself that night in a bar not too different from the one Victor Perez had been in a few hours earlier, except this one had a pool table and Jim was lining up a trick shot he had learned from his sister.

To look at him, you'd swear that you had stepped back in time and were seeing Joe Buck, the character played by Jon Voight in the 1971 movie, "The Midnight Cowboy".

Timmerman took the shot which put the 4 ball in the left corner pocket, the 7 ball in the right corner pocket, and the 8 ball in the side pocket, in that order, while leaving the cue ball precariously perched at the same side pocket, winning him a hundred dollar bet.

He collected his money and had a seat at the Bar where he could observe all the comings and goings.

A few minutes later a local named Hector came in and had a seat next to him. He began picking his teeth with a toothpick as he waited for his beer. He said hello to Timmerman who replied in kind.

"I'll tell you, life down here can be hard my friend." Hector stated.

"And I'm sure you are going to tell me why" Timmerman replied in his best Texas drawl.

"Like you, I run a small tourist business. Show these Gringos around, where to eat, you know, give them the idea that they are seeing the real Mexico." He continued to which Timmerman acknowledged with a "Hmmph".

"All set to have a group from El Norte tomorrow. Got my people lined up, transportation arranged, you know, and then I get a call late this afternoon telling me that they are cancelling their reservation." Hector said.

"This Gringo got a name? Just in case they ever call me I'll know they aren't reliable customers."

"Yeah." Hector replied as he put a few pesos on the bar before drinking the rest of his beer and standing up to head out the door. "O'Shea".

Timmerman nodded.

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

7:40 p.m.

Danny and Erin had just completed washing and drying the dinner dishes.

She was observing her brother for any signs that he may be close to committing the worst possible act that he could do to himself, to his sons, to his family, and to his soul.

Of course, Danny had an extremely well-honed sixth sense so it didn't take long for him to pick up on the fact that he was under observation.

"I'm not going to eat my gun so you can stop worrying." He stated.

"Why would I think that?" Erin deflected.

"I'm sure Jamie and Nicky took something I said on the way back from Columbia the wrong way and reported back to you." He replied.

"Did you mean it at the time?" Erin inquired.

He turned and faced Erin: "These days, I'm not overly sure not only if I mean something, but if I've even said it." He admitted.

"What can I do to help?" She asked.

"You've already done more than I could ask. Right now, I think the boys and I should read Linda's letters. After that, you may have a couple of nephews to hold while they cry." He replied.

"Maybe an older brother as well?" She teased.

"Nah, that's Jamie's job." He quipped back.

Danny headed out of the kitchen to find his sons with their grandfathers in the sunroom.

He had the three letters tucked into his back pocket.

"Jack, Sean" he addressed them. "How about we take a seat outside. I think Mom would want us to read these letters sooner rather than later." He stated.

Jack and Sean reluctantly followed their father out to the back patio, each taking a seat in a lawn chair.

Danny distributed the letters and sat back before opening his envelope.

As he watched, Sean slowly began to open his but Jack only stared at the front with his name in Linda's handwriting.

"Jack?" Danny inquired causing Sean to also look up.

"I can't Dad" Jack responded.

"I know it's hard son, but" Danny began.

"That's not it. It's just, this is the final time Mom will ever speak to me, that I'll hear from her. Once I've read this it's over." He stated, tears beginning to fall.

"No son, you'll hear from her every day in everything you do. You'll hear from her in your dreams, she'll be in your thoughts. When you do something like not hanging up your jacket you'll hear 'Jack, I'm not the maid' and you'll smile because you heard her".

"Do you still hear Grandma Mary?" Sean asked Danny.

"Every day, especially when I do something stupid, or I swear, or lose my temper." Danny admitted.

"No wonder the rest of us never hear from her, she's constantly having to discipline you." Jamie laughed.

Danny had not heard his brother come outside. "Smart ass." Danny replied.

"Bet he just heard from grandma" Sean said to Jack who nodded.

Danny wanted to laugh but he held it in.

"Do you ever hear from Uncle Joe?" Jack asked his father.

"Yeah, I hear from him a lot, though its usually when I am trying to teach your pesky uncle something." Danny said while hooking his thumb at Jamie.

"I hear from him too. In fact, right now he is telling me what you call teaching is a misnomer for abusive conduct." Jamie replied.

Erin had also slipped out having listened from the doorway as to the conversation going on between the four Reagan men.

"I want you two young Reagan men to observe these two older but less mature Reagan boys and maybe you will learn, that like these two, who also lost their mother, far too soon, they have each other to lean on, as do the two of you" She informed them.

"And, unlike we who have no cousins, aunts, or uncles, you have Nicky, and you also have Erin and me." Jamie said.

"And if you do something stupid and don't hear your mother's voice in the back of your head, I'm sure you'll hear your aunt's because I know that I still do." Danny retorted.

Erin gave Danny a self-satisfied smirk before she and Jamie went back into the house, giving Danny and the boys their privacy.

"Come on Jack, open the letter. Best to hear from her now while her voice and image are fresh in your mind." Danny advised.

Jack opened up his letter. He noticed that it had been dated right after Linda had been shot at St. Victors, about two years earlier.

" _My dearest Jack_ " Linda's letter began.

" _You are my first born, my sweet child, and the one who most emulates me._

 _You are thoughtful, considerate, intelligent, and most of all, you have a big heart so I'm going to ask for your help one last time._

 _If you are reading this letter, then you know that I'm no longer alive to be there with you but know that in spirit, that I will always be beside you._

 _I'm relying on you to use your big heart and your kind and patient nature to help your father and brother get through this, they are both going to need someone sensible and calm to lean on, other than your Uncle Jamie or Grandpa Frank._

 _There will be times in your life, such as when you graduate high school and college, or when you get married, that you will wish I was there with you, and I want you to know, that if you close your eyes and think of me, I will always be right there._

 _There isn't a lot that I can say in this letter that you haven't heard from me for your entire life. You know that I love you, that I'm proud of you, and that I know you will succeed at whatever you choose to do in life, and remember, it's your life to live and your choices to make. I hope that one day that you will find a woman who will make you as happy as I hope that I have made your father, and who will bless you with children as wonderful as you and Sean have been to me._

 _The only request I have is that you get your college degree. By now you know I have made arrangements to fund your education. If after that you want to follow your father into the NYPD, or the Marines, or blaze your own trail, I have no objection. Do what makes you happy and you'll never work a day in your life._

 _Be there for your brother like your father has been there for Uncle Jamie. Relationships between fathers and sons and between brothers can easily be strained or broken. Must be a male ego thing. One day your daddy will join me and there will be just you and Sean so be good to him, look out for him, and let him do the same for you because he idolizes you in so many ways._

 _As for your father. He isn't the most patient man let alone the most patient father. Give him time to adjust, because he will. He's a Marine and he'll adapt. You always have your aunt, uncle, and grandfather to go to if things become too difficult, but for now, please give dad a chance and in the future should he be lucky enough to meet a good woman who will be loving and kind to him, and accepting of you and Sean, then be supportive of that. He will never replace me in his heart or as your mother, but at some point he must move on and begin to live again. I don't want him pining away for me the way your grandfather has remained true to grandma Mary all of these years so if you have to, give him a subtle hint that it's time to move on. If that doesn't work, give him a swift kick in the keister._

 _Oh, and most importantly, if you need advice on girls, women, or love, DO NOT go to your father. Talk to your Aunt Erin or Uncle Jamie._

 _I want you to always remember how much I love you, and how proud I am of the man you have become. I know that the future only holds the best for you, and know that in my final moments of life, my thoughts will be of you, your brother, and your father. Our family._

 _Love always,_

 _Mom."_

Jack and Sean had finished reading their letters around the same time and looked up at one another, the tears evident on each other's eyes but as Linda's letters had pretty much said the same thing, other than addressing Sean as her baby boy, and being a chip off his father's block, they understood the import of what she had told them.

What they had not expected was the reaction of their father who was still reading his letter, tears freely flowing down his face, his lip quivering as he fought to hold it together.

They hadn't seen their father cry since their Uncle Joe's funeral.

Upon opening his letter Danny noticed that it was dated May 19, 2017, nine days before Linda's death.

" _My dearest Danny_ " it began.

" _You are and have always been my one true love and have blessed me with my three greatest gifts in life; Jack, Sean, and family. The only regret I have is that I was never able to bear you a daughter, though we tried._

 _You have always been my knight in shining armor whether as a Marine, a Detective, a father, a brother, or just as My Danny._

 _I know of no more honorable a man than you, who does what is right because it is the right thing to do._

 _You've always wondered why you were so lucky for me to marry you. When we were old, gray, and had grandchildren I had planned on telling you but if you are reading this letter, that's not likely to happen so I'll tell you now._

 _When we met, you were a swaggering teenager full of himself, with the full promise of life before you. You understood exactly who you were, where you came from, and where you were going. Unlike the other boys who tried to woo me, or to impress me, you were genuine. You let your actions speak for you. Maybe its all those John Wayne movies you grew up watching with your father and grandfather, but some of it must have rubbed off on you or maybe it's just that you are a Reagan and its genetic._

 _When I began to realize just how special you actually were was when I met your family and noticed the admiration Erin and Joe showed for you, which in itself sold me, but what filled my heart with love for you was how Jamie adored you. You were his hero. I'll never forget how he asked me if I was going to take you away from him, because he needed his big brother still and you picked him up, kissed his forehead, and told him that not only was nobody ever taking you away, but that I was going to make you a better man that not only could Jamie look up to, but be proud of._

 _In truth, it was you that made me a better woman and a finer person. You brought me into a wonderful family and I could see in each and every one of them, that what you see is what you get. There were no false faces. I also learned two important rules. Have an opinion and be prepared to defend it, and, always protect your food, especially from you!_

 _When Nicky was born, I noticed how you couldn't wait to see and hold her, and one of the first things you told her that no matter what in life, her uncle Danny would be there to protect her and when she began dating, at age 30 and no sooner young lady you told her, every guy had to pass your inspection._

 _This is when I knew that whatever family we would have would be important to you however, I also learned something else. That your brothers and sister would always form the central core of who you were. It was if the four of you were forged as one piece and then later separated to create four individuals with a unified purpose. I always joked to my friends that you were the Fantastic Four, with you being "The Thing" because of your forceful disposition. (Joe was The Human Torch the way he burned through girls)_

 _I vividly remember the first time you held each of our sons, the love in your eyes for them, and for me. The time Sean was in a coma, you were so lost, I think it was the first time in our marriage that I took control of the situation. When I was abducted you came to my rescue as I always knew that you would._

 _When your mother and Joe both passed you were more concerned with your father and siblings than you were for yourself._

 _I could go on and on but you and I both know the stories and they will continue to live on as you tell them to Jack and Sean._

 _Therefore, I'm going to tell you a few things, some of which you want to hear, and some you may not but this is my last chance to do it so listen up._

 _Our Sons_ _-_

 _I want our sons to both receive a college education and as you know, I've financially provided for that. Once they have that degree, they are free to pursue whatever dream they want. If Jack wants to join the NYPD, I'm fine with that. If Sean still wants to be a fireman, then you are to support him and no hose jockey or hydrant sucker jokes._

 _I'd be proud someday to look down from my perch and see my two sons posed together, Jack wearing his NYPD Dress Blues with four stars across his shoulders, and Sean, wearing his FDNY Dress Blacks with four stars across his shoulders and that goofy white hat those guys wear. Chiefs of the Department on their way to being Commissioners, oh well, a mother can always dream._

 _Your Grief_ _-_

 _Not only are you bearing your loss of me, but you have never gotten over losing Joe, nor have you dealt with what happened during your second tour of Fallujah. There is a very dark and angry side to you Danny and I am begging you from the grave, to please get professional help because you are now a single parent and you can't be there for our sons if you aren't fully there for yourself. I know that as both a Marine and a detective, you have seen the worst that humanity can do to itself, however, you have to learn to put that away if you are going to not only be a father, but if you are going to find someone who will give you the chance to love and be loved._

 _Your Brother_ _-_

 _We've discussed you building a new bridge with Jamie. So far you two are doing a good job but now more than ever you are going to need him as are the boys. Jamie has always been special to me from the moment I met him and to this day he still looks up to you and wonders why he can never get your respect or trust. Change your ways Danny or I will haunt you, capisce? He's a fine young man and if there is something there with his partner, then quit being a buttinski and let him bring it out into the open when he and Eddie are ready. Eddie makes him happy and he deserves the same chance with her, that you and I had with each other._

 _The House_ _-_

 _As for the loss of our house. Stop blaming yourself. It was just a house. It was the four of us who made it a home. We will find a new house to make your own and if I'm gone before that happens, then you and the boys will do it together. Lean on Erin and Nicky for a woman's touch, you don't want the entire place looking like a man cave._

 _The Job_ _-_

 _Under no circumstances are you to retire or resign from the NYPD until you hit mandatory retirement or are medically retired._

 _The job gives you purpose and you give the job one of the most diligent and accomplished detectives it has ever had. Your job in this world is to find the truth and to speak for those who through the bad actions of others, can no longer speak for themselves. You are a man of unswerving principals so keep to it Detective because it sets the standards I expect our sons to emulate, just as Jamie and Joe did._

 _Moving Forward_ _-_

 _This might be the most difficult part of the letter for me to write, not for myself but for you. I can't put into words my love for you or for our sons, but while I will always be their mother, the fact that you are reading this letter shows that I will not always be your wife. Right now you are grieving and knowing you, you will continue to do so for a while however, I do not want you to make me a martyr as your father did your mother. I expect you to get up off your thick Irish ass and begin dating again. I want you to be in love and happy. I don't want our sons to worry about you the way you, Jamie, and Erin worry about Frank and Henry. Your family has a poor history of moving forward. Jamie has been dancing around Eddie for 4 years now, while Erin is still pining away for Jack Boyle for God's sake. Your grandmother has been gone for 16 years, and your mother for 12? About time Henry and Frank moved on and you better as well. I know that you'll always love me and that you'll never forget me, but I'm gone and you're still alive so live Danny, live for both of us._

 _Having said all of this, I have always been faithful to and honest with you however, I have concealed one secret, a confidence that is not mine to reveal. If and when that matter is disclosed, Jack Boyle has a sealed letter from me to give to you that is self-explanatory._

 _I guess this is the part where I say goodbye my husband. Please, take great care of yourself and our sons._

 _I love you with all my heart, as I always have, and as I always will._

 _Linda"._

Danny had been reading the letter completely engulfed in emotion until he hit the final paragraph and he instantly turned from Danny Reagan, a grieving widower into a Detective First Grade Daniel F. Reagan, NYPD.

"What secret?" He wondered. "What had Linda been involved in that he didn't know about?"

The last time a family member had kept a secret from him was when Jamie had investigated the Blue Templar on his own and had almost been killed by Malevsky.

But Malevsky was dead and all the crooked cops were either in prison, or they had died there.

He looked again at the letter. "What aren't you telling me Linda because if it's what I think it is, you're lucky you aren't here because you'd have some real serious explaining to do." He said to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

8:00 p.m.

Danny, Jack and Sean entered the family room to find Frank and Henry lounging as usual.

Frank looked up to see three sets of red eyes and two sad faces, however Danny's face was anything but and Frank knew his son too well not to recognize that someone had just slipped a fresh juicy bone between his teeth.

"How'd it go?" Frank inquired.

"She's proud of us and wants us to go to college and become what will make us happy." Jack answered.

"And that when it comes to girls, we're not supposed to go to Dad, but to Aunt Erin or Uncle Jamie for advice." Sean responded.

"What? Let me see that" Danny said, taking the letters from his sons.

"Now why would she say that?" Danny inquired, but he fixed his siblings with a scathing stare before either could answer.

"How about you guys go play some video games before bedtime." Frank suggested where upon Jack and Sean hightailed it out of the room.

"You sending them to school tomorrow?" Erin inquired.

"I hadn't planned on it, why?" Danny inquired.

"Probably best to get them back into their routine. If they can't handle it, one of us can go pick them up." Frank replied.

"Let's see how they are in the morning, after they've had the time to process Linda's letter." Danny countered before addressing his siblings. "In the meantime, I need to speak to you two outside about something."

Once outside, Danny showed the letter to his brother and sister. "Just read the last paragraph" He directed.

"What kind of secret could Linda have?" Erin asked.

"Especially one she would seal with Jack?" Jamie queried.

"There is only one thing in this world that Linda could keep secret from me that would piss me off, and she knew it." Danny stated.

"Something to do with your family." Jamie countered.

"Not just my immediate family. THE family." Danny corrected, drawing an air circle around them.

"Elaborate" Erin directed.

"Once, and only once, did anyone in this family keep a serious matter secret from me, and I'm not talking about the biker gang broad that stalked you, or any of the times Jamie went undercover, though they are close. I'm talking about something that effected the very foundation of this family." Danny said while boring holes with his eyes into Jamie.

"My investigation of the Blue Templar" Jamie sheepishly acknowledged.

"Exactly" Danny remarked.

"So if Linda had a secret, what could it be about? The Templar is either locked up or dead." Erin noted.

"Only three things spring to mind." Danny said as his voice grew louder and his face redder.

In the meantime, Henry could hear some of what was going on outside. "Something has your eldest's shorts in a wad."

"I hear it too, better go check." Where upon Frank went to the window to look out at his children. Where Jamie and Joe were difficult to read, Erin and Danny were the opposite, in fact, Danny was more of an audio book that told the story for you. As he looked at his eldest child Frank noticed that Danny wasn't emotional, he was angry and his siblings were trying to calm him down before he stroked out, that's how red his face was.

Frank made his way to the rear door and outside. "Hey, everything okay out here?" He inquired.

"Read this." Danny said, sticking the envelope in Frank's hand.

"We were just discussing what it could be that Linda would secrete." Jamie stated.

"You know, you sound like a lawyer talking like that." Danny chided.

"I am a lawyer, just not an attorney." Jamie retorted.

"Yeah, well if you want that ten grand you better become one." Danny replied.

"Linda knows there is only one thing that she would have to apologize to Danny for keeping a secret." Erin stated to Frank.

"Something to do with his family" Frank acknowledged.

"No Dad, not just with my family, with This family". He emphasized.

"What do you mean?" Frank inquired.

"It's implied in the letter, but Linda once told me that as much as she knew I loved her and the boys, that my siblings meant more to me than they did. It's right here in the letter, she called us "The Fantastic Four. I was 'The Thing'" Danny informed his father.

Jamie and Erin both snickered.

Danny looked at Jamie: Don't get your egg head too far in the clouds because she said Joe was the Human Torch as he got all the women."

"I'm fine with being Mr. Fantastic as he was the smartest of the four, like me." Jamie grinned.

"What's got your thong up your ass Danny?" Frank inquired, knowing when Danny got like this he was onto something.

"Okay, I have to figure that Jack and Sean are both biologically my sons, right?" He inquired.

"Yes, we know that because we all have samples of our DNA on file in case we are ever kidnapped or worse. Jack and Sean's DNA confirms that you are their biological father and Linda was their biological mother." Frank answered.

"Great, that leaves option number two, and please Dad, don't get offended." Danny pleaded.

"Yes Daniel, I am the biological father of you, Erin, Joe, and Jamie and yes, your mother was the biological mother of you four as well. Had you all tested years ago." Frank stated having anticipated the question.

"Then that leaves only one secret she could keep from me that I could not forgive her in her lifetime, but would equate to a result that would be great news for this family" Danny said.

Frank stared at Danny slowly beginning to nod before turning to his other two children.

"Linda knew." Frank stated.

"More than that" Danny replied.

"Who are you talking about?" Erin inquired.

"Joseph Conor Reagan, that's who." Frank answered.

Erin shrieked as she brought her hands to her face.

"That little bastard faked his own death and Linda knew it, or more likely, she was a part of it. He's still alive and she kept in contact with him all this time." Danny concluded.

"But how?" Jamie inquired, totally shocked by this revelation.

Danny answered: "You were in Boston when Joe was shot, but Linda worked the E.R. at King's General that night. She was the one who called Dad once Joe was brought in, but we never questioned the timeline, I mean, why bother right? The DOA's sister-in-law, my wife, told us Joe was pronounced dead at the scene so we believed her. As a next of kin, she performed the requisite I.D. None of us ever saw his body until the day of the wake.

We also don't know if Joe and Linda met up at a previous time to plan this but for some reason, he trusted her more than anyone else in this family to confide in and to use as a conduit." Frank commented.

"Yeah, but the viewing, the funeral" Erin remarked.

"Staged" Danny answered. "Probably some high class make up job on a mannequin. If the Feds were in on this, they would be able to do it.

"At my graduation ceremony, she made the comment that it was funny me becoming a cop so soon after burying my brother, but it was almost as if she said it sarcastically rather than from a perspective of concern, as if she knew that I was needlessly throwing away my law career and becoming a cop to honor a brother who wasn't dead" Jamie stated.

Frank looked at Danny. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah, and I know just where he is." Danny answered.

Jamie quickly caught on. "He's embedded with the Mano Sangrieto Cartel. That's why you and your family weren't killed. They could have blown the house up with you in it, but Joe must have persuaded them that would bring down too much heat."

"Exactly." Danny replied. "And somehow, he got word to Linda who just happened at that hour of the night to have taken the boys out, on a school night no less, for pizza so that nobody was home when the place went up like torch.

Somehow Joe got a warning off to her and she knew it was coming, but she couldn't tell us or it may have blown his cover if the NYPD was there waiting." Erin concluded.

"So what do we do now?" Jamie asked.

"For now, we plan Linda's funeral. Nothing on this to anyone else, because Joe's life is still in jeopardy but when the funeral and shivah are over and we begin to move on in life, we four sit down and decide what, if anything, we are going to do" Danny answered.

"Might be best to let him come to us if he can." Jamie opined.

"Or maybe we use his network to let him know that we know he's out there." Frank replied.

"Either way, we have to find a way to bring him in. Jack and Sean are going to need their other uncle and we are all going to need our brother" Erin stated to the affirmative nods of the Reagan men.

"My son" Frank completed.


	7. Chapter 7

Monday, May 29, 2017:

Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico

9:48 p.m.

The stately Rio Grande River begins in the western part of the Rio Grande Forrest in western Colorado. It is formed by the joining of several streams at the base of Canby Mountain in the San Juan Mountains, just east of the Continental Divide. The 1,900 mile long river begins its lazy flow by heading south through the western half of New Mexico before clipping the most western tip of Texas at El Paso, where it takes a south easterly turn on its way to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico, southeast of Brownsville, Texas. From El Paso to the Gulf, the Rio Grande River forms the international boundary between the United States and Mexico.

Across the Rio Grande from El Paso is the Mexican state of Chihuahua and its capital city, Ciudad Juárez or as the locals call it, Juárez. With a combined population of over 2.7 million people, El-Paso – Ciudad Juárez is the second largest bi-national metropolitan area on the U.S. – Mexico border after San Diego – Tijuana.

There are four officially recognized international ports connecting the cities of El Paso and Juárez including the "Bridge of the Americas", the "Ysleta International Bridge", the "Paso Del Norte Bridge", and "The Good Neighbor International Bridge, which Texans called "The Stanton Street Bridge". Of course, this did not take into account the numerous unknown illegal ports of entry constructed by the Mano Sangriento Drug Cartel in the form of tunnels running beneath the 59-foot-deep river that emptied out into various areas around the El Paso and Juárez areas, which is why the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA as it is colloquially known, maintained a very strong presence, both overtly, and covertly, on both sides of the Rio Grande.

Its overt presence was limited to the U.S. side of the border and consisted of uniformed agents with equipment and dogs whose job it was to locate the tunnels and drugs, and to apprehend any person or persons smuggling drugs of any nature into the United State from Mexico. They were assisted by the United Border Patrol whose mandate was to prevent any unlawful entry into the United States, for whatever reason.

On the covert side, the DEA maintained undercover agents on both sides of the border, including within the Mano Sangrieto Cartel itself, who provided intelligence to the DEA as to when drug shipments would be coming through the tunnels, and where these tunnels were located. The DEA would on occasion share such information with the relevant Mexican authorities, however the narcoculture on the south side of the border had infested and infected a majority of those delegated with the responsibility of terminating the exportation of drugs to the United States. Notice to these agencies was a good as notifying the Cartel itself that the DEA and Border Patrol were waiting.

One of the DEA's outstanding covert operatives was Sam Phillips, another U.S. Expatriate who had gone AWOL from, and later deserted, the United States Navy. Phillips was a big man standing at 6'4" and weighing 245 pounds which he carried as solid muscle. A review of his U.S. Navy records would inform the reader that at the time he had gone AWOL, Phillips held the rating of a Senior Chief, an E-8, the second highest enlisted rank. It would also show that he had once served in the Navy's logistics unit, which evidenced his ability to think through and solve logistical problems, which made him exceptionally valuable to the Cartel. After all, the basic function of their business was to move product into the United States, and the cash that paid for those drugs, back to the Cartel in ways where it could be laundered and banked, invested, redistributed, or paid out as required, without raising unnecessary attention, and Sam Phillips had proved to be a master at it and the Cartel paid him very well to keep up the good work. The DEA also paid him, just not as well, to keep them apprised of the inner workings of the Cartel.

While May 29th may have been Memorial Day north of the border, it was a regular work day for Phillips and he had put in a full 12 hours, which was why at 9:48 on a sweltering May night, he was sitting in the backyard of his house in the nicer section of Juárez, sipping on a Negra Modela beer when his fellow Expat and friend Jim Timmerman strolled around the corner and joined him.

Phillips didn't say anything other than to hook his thumb towards the back door. Timmerman knew this was an invitation to grab a beer out of the refrigerator, which he did before returning.

He sat down in the unoccupied lounger and looked out across the land towards the United States with the city of El Paso's lights visible in the far distance.

"Hell of a day." Timmerman matter of factly stated.

"How's that?" Phillips inquired.

Timmerman looked over to his friend. "Got a message a couple of hours ago." He noted. "O'Shea cancelled their reservation."

Phillips closed his eyes lest his friend notice the pain that message brought. Taking a moment to compose himself, he looked back and nodded. "Thanks for the info".

"Denada Amigo". Timmerman responded.

The two friends sat in silence until Timmerman had finished his beer. "Talk to you mañana" he stated before heading out the way he had come in.

Phillips ran the coded message through his mind but he couldn't accept it. How could it be true? What had happened? What caused Linda's death?

He knew that he couldn't just access the internet and type in her name in the hopes of learning something. The Cartel had its hooks into servers all over the area. Even the hint of researching the wife of the man who had confiscated over one hundred million dollars of the Cartel's money over three weeks ago would draw unwanted attention to him, something he could ill afford if he hoped to remain alive and besides, there was a major operation going down within the next month that may finally destroy the Cartel and once this had been accomplished, he could file his retirement papers with the DEA and go home. In the meantime, he had to compartmentalize his emotions and file them away for the proper time when he would be free to grieve and to pay his respects to the woman who had brought so much joy to his family.

He shifted his gaze to the north east, towards the home he once knew, and the family he had abandoned.

"I hope that one day that you will all be able to forgive me." He whispered before lifting himself up out of the lounger and heading inside to what was sure to be a disturbing and restless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Wednesday, May 31, 2017:

54th Detective Squad

Manhattan, NY

12:47 p.m.

Maria Baez looked up from her desk as her partner walked into the squad room.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I can't sit around anymore, the boys are back in school, Jamie and Erin made the funeral arrangements, the NTSB is investigating the accident and won't let me near it, and the lawyer is handling Linda's life insurance policies, so what else am I going to do?" Danny responded.

"How about taking some time for yourself?" She suggested.

"Right now, I'm in a place where that wouldn't be such a good idea." Danny replied as his phone rang.

"Reagan" He answered.

Baez watched as Danny reached into his desk for a pen and began making notes.

"And the others?" He inquired.

"Got it. So the funeral home can come by at any time and pick her up?" He inquired.

"Great, I'll make the call, thanks." He stated before hanging up.

Danny picked up the photograph of Linda and the boys which he kept on his desk and sat motionless as he stared at it. Finally, he broke himself of his trance and gently returned the photograph to its original place.

"Danny?" Maria inquired.

"Cause of Death was drowning. She was alive when the helicopter went into the river. The only person who was dead before that was the poor kid who got thrown from coaster. He died from blunt force trauma to the head and chest, probably when he struck the coaster's wooden frame." Danny advised.

"Madre de Dios" Maria said as she crossed herself.

Danny slowly exhaled as he envisioned his beautiful wife, trapped in the damaged helicopter, the air supply in her lungs being replaced with water from the Narrows. He visibly shook before willing such thoughts aside.

"Get out of here Danny, go find something to do. Take a break, you've earned it." Maria begged.

"Maybe you're right, I'm no good to anyone right now, even myself." He replied. "You know, Linda left me a letter. Ordered me not to quit this job, that I needed it as much as it needed me, but you know what Baez? It doesn't need me anymore and I'm not sure that I'm that hungry for it either." He stated as he got up.

"Danny, don't make any life changing decisions right now, okay?" Maria stated.

"Call me if anything breaks that you need my help on" He informed her.

"I will Danny. And you call me if there is anything I can do, you know I'll be right there for you" She softly offered.

"Will do. Bye" He acknowledged before turning around and heading out.

Danny found himself walking around Manhattan on a beautiful spring day, not a cloud in the sky. It wasn't long before he found himself standing in front of the building that housed Jack Boyle's law firm. Shrugging his shoulders, Danny walked in and looked for the buildings directory where he located Boyle, Baxter, and Russell, P.C., Attorneys At Law.

Danny entered the office and walked up to the reception desk.

The pretty Hispanic woman behind the desk smiled. "Good morning, may I help you?" She inquired.

Danny badged her. "Detective Daniel Reagan, I'm here to see Jack Boyle." He replied.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked.

"The NYPD Detective Shield I just showed you is all the appointment I need" Danny advised.

"I'll let Mr. Boyle know that you're here, please, have a seat". She offered.

"No thanks, I prefer to stand". Danny retorted as she got Jack on the horn.

A few minutes later, Boyle came out to the reception area. "Hi Danny, did we have an appointment?" He inquired.

"No Jack. I found myself ambling around and next thing I know I'm here. I did hear from the M.E. today." Danny answered.

"Come on back to my office." Boyle instructed and Danny complied.

Once in the office, Danny informed him as to the autopsy results for the six victims of the crash before changing subjects.

"This morning" Danny began, "I woke up, got the boys off to school, and decided that with you handling the legal affairs, and Erin and Jamie having the funeral arrangements all set, and the fact that the NTSB isn't going to let me anywhere near that helicopter now that they've pulled it out of the water, there wasn't really much for me to do other than go back to the squad and try to do my job, and I did go and sit at my desk, but the moment I did, the M.E. called with the autopsy results, and after I hung up, I picked up this photograph of Linda and the Boys I keep there, and I'm looking at Linda, and I keep asking myself one question." Danny stated.

"What question is that?" Boyle asked.

"What secret did she keep from me." Danny answered.

"I don't understand" Boyle replied.

"It was in the letter Jack. You know the letters Linda left me and the boys? Here, I made a copy of the relevant part, it was the last paragraph." He handed it over to Boyle.

"Monday night, the boys and I are sitting on the back patio, you remember the patio Jack, where you, Dad, and me would sit after Sunday dinner and light up a cigar? Anyways, not to digress, I'm reading Linda's final words to me, and I'm ballin Jack, tears are pouring down my face, and I'm looking at my boys and they're crying as they read their mother's last words to them and then I come to that paragraph and it's like someone flipped a switch in my brain. The water faucet tears turned off and the gut wrenching grief was instantly replaced by anger and then, it's like I changed personalities on the spot. I went from Danny Reagan, bereaved widower to Detective Daniel Reagan, know what I mean, Jack? Danny concluded.

"I'm not sure I do Danny?" Boyle replied.

"I think you do, but anyway, I had this thought see, so after the boys went upstairs for the night, I had Erin and Jamie join me out back on the patio, the same one where my boys and I had been ballin our eyes out like two year old's a few minutes earlier, and I showed them that paragraph and I asked them. 'What in the world could Linda have kept from me that would require my not knowing until she either died or another person came forward to disclose the secret'. Having once been married to Erin, you should remember that there is one thing above all else that will torque me real good, and that is someone messing with my family, and I mean the entire Reagan family" Danny stated.

"Danny", Boyle began but was quickly shut down.

"See, I figured that maybe, though I hoped against it, Linda had cheated on me and that one of the boys wasn't really mine, but as you recall, all of us have our DNA samples on file with the NYPD in case of an emergency and as part of doing that, Dad confirmed that the boys were both mine. As for an affair, Linda hardly had time for me or the kids, so I knew she wasn't out screwing someone else behind my back so that left the possibility that maybe, one of my siblings wasn't kosher, especially since Jamie came along so much later, but nope, Dad said we were all biologically his and mom's so that left only one other thing, something that was so visceral to my family, that Linda felt the need to explain her actions and you know what Jack, we all came to the same conclusion." Danny stated as his eyes bored into Boyle's.

"What conclusion was that Danny?" Boyle asked, his composure now slightly cracked.

"I'm glad you asked that Jack, I really am, because instead of answering it directly, I'm going to answer you with a question and I really hope that you're smart enough to tell me the God's honest truth because I love Nicky as if she were my own daughter, and I would really hate to have to hurt you in order to get to the truth, so here's the question and I beg of you to give me an honest answer" Danny stated.

"What's your question Danny?" Boyle asked, knowing what the question would be.

Danny leaned forward until he was as close to Boyle as he could get from his sitting position. "Is my brother alive, and I don't mean Jamie".

"Danny, whatever information Linda confided in me is attorney-client privilege." Boyle answered.

"I thought you would give me that answer, good thing I have two lawyers in the family. As the Personal Representative of Linda's Estate, and the Trustee of her Revocable Trust, that privilege passes to me and in my capacity as both Personal Representative, and Trustee, I am ordering you to answer that question, and, to provide me with the letter she referenced in the final paragraph of her letter to me." Danny retorted.

Boyle sat back and thought about his options. Technically, Danny was right but he had sworn to Linda that he would keep her secret until it was no longer hers to keep however, Jack wasn't about to go up against the entire Reagan family. At this moment, it was just Danny. He didn't want to face Erin, Nicky, Jack, Sean, even Jamie, let alone Frank, not where his son was concerned, so he answered Danny truthfully.

"As far as I have been led to believe" Boyle began before hesitating.

"Jack?" Danny threatened.

"Joe is alive and working undercover for the DEA." He answered.

"Son of a bitch." Danny yelled out as he slapped Boyle's desk, and then he began to cry.

Boyle handed Danny a box of tissues before walking over to his office safe where he withdrew two envelopes, one from Linda addressed to Danny, and one from Joe addressed to the Reagan Family. He then walked back over and handed them to Danny. "I had these in my safety deposit box until last week. Something told me that I would be needing them in the coming days." He stated before sitting down next to Danny. "The first envelope contains the letter Linda mentions. The second holds a letter from Joe to his family, to be opened only upon confirmation of his actual death and I don't mean the one that happened May 15, 2009."

Danny nodded as he held the envelopes in his hands, knowing the second one was the key to his younger brother's life for the past 8 years. Now that he had it, he wasn't certain he really wanted to open it.

"Does Joe know about Linda?" Danny inquired.

"Linda left instructions with me along with a burner phone. If she died, I was to speed dial the only number the phone had in it and give a coded phrase, "the O'Shea party was cancelling its dinner reservation" which I did. This would start a chain that would eventually get to Joe, and that's all that I know." Boyle stated.

Danny looked down at the two envelopes in his hand. "I think I'll take these with me and let Dad read them first. If anyone has suffered over Joe's actions, it's been him." He stated.

"If anyone has suffered, it was Jamie." Boyle corrected.

"Maybe, but a brother is one thing and a child another. I know what it's like to lose a brother but when Sean wound up in a coma and I thought I might lose my baby boy, I began to understand how my father felt when he lost Joe, or thought he had." Danny answered.

"I'm sorry for keeping this from you Danny, and if you'd like I can refer you to a different firm or one of my partners to complete what needs to be done with Linda's Trust and Estate." Boyle offered.

"No Jack, we're okay you and me and I'm sorry if I came on strong. In her letter to me, Linda implied that as much as I loved her and the boys, that she felt they were second to Erin, Joe, and Jamie. Maybe she's right. I know that you felt that way with Erin. Knowing there was the slightest chance after losing Linda, that I could get Joe back, hell, I need him, Jamie and Erin need him, Dad needs him, but most of all, Jack and Sean need their uncle. I'm a flawed parent and Jamie is inexperienced though he means well, but if anyone can take Linda's place in molding them in to fine men, it's Joe." Danny concluded.

Boyle put his hand on Danny's shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short Danny. Take a good look in the mirror someday and do an inventory of all the good you have done for this country and this city, not to mention for your family. I think you more than set a fine example for your sons and if I know my ex-wife, she'll be sure to keep Jack and Sean in line if you fail to".

"She still carries a torch for you" Danny stated. "I sense that you still carry one for her. How about you two get your heads out of your asses and figure things out before it's too late. You've already had two close calls where she was almost killed". Danny warned.

"It's complicated Danny". Boyle replied.

"No Jack, at the end of the day it really isn't. You need to grow up and realize you're eating off a one item menu for the rest of your life, and Erin needs to get down off her high horse and live among the rest of us flawed mortals. That's all it's ever been with the two of you and Nicky has paid the price for it and for that, you and Erin should both be ashamed." Danny said as he got up.

"Let's start looking for a good lawyer in case the NTSB confirms what the FDNY Lieutenant found. I want those responsible to pay and if there is criminal negligence, the NYPD will be all over this too." Danny concluded.

"Will do and Danny, thanks for the advice. Maybe this is the time to do something about it." Boyle acknowledged.

"What is it you legal types like to say, Tempus Fugit?" Trust me, it fugits really fast until one day you realize that you've run out of tempus." Danny replied as he walked out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Wednesday, May 31, 2017:

Broadway North of Canal Street

Manhattan, NY

3:55 p.m.

After leaving Boyle's office, Danny suddenly realized that for the first time since Sunday night, he was hungry, and what better to satiate that hunger than with New York City's finest street food, the hot dog, and so it was that three blocks later as he was ordering two with everything on them that two NYPD beat cops walked up behind him.

"I say we execute a stop and frisk on this one. He looks suspicious to me." The female cop said.

Danny recognized the voice so he didn't bother to turn around.

"Suspicious doesn't even begin to cover the descriptive list on this one. He has a juvie jacket as thick as a Tom Clancy novel" Her male partner replied.

Unfazed by their remarks, Danny took a bite of his first hot dog before retorting: "Lucky me, I've run into New York City's Boy Scout and Girl Scout cops. I'm sure I could come up with some things the two of you would like to be doing with one another and while it may involve handcuffs and leather, it certainly does not pertain to police work."

"Hey Danny, would you knock it off already" Jamie pleaded with his brother, causing Danny to finally turn around.

"Yeah kid, I'll do that as soon as the two of you figure out where your heads are at. It's the worst kept secret in the NYPD that you two have the hots for one another and let me remind you that then Sgt. Gormley teased me about it when he was C.O. of the Five Four Squad. Now that he's the de facto Chief of the Department, that kind of stuff doesn't just suddenly float out of his head, and if he knows it, and you know that Garrett has his nose in everything both NYPD and Reagan related, then you can pretty much assume that our father, your boss, knows about it too, capisce? Now, if you're done interrupting my fine lunch here, how about you give me a lift to 1PP, I need to see the Commish."

"Hoof it Danny, I'm not a taxi service" Jamie angrily replied having been dressed down by his big brother on the one subject that got under his skin.

"No, but if you want to be able to sit in that RMP tomorrow, you'd do well to give me a ride or I'll let Erin know that in my time of grief, you told me to take a hike. I seem to recall the damage her wooden hairbrush can do to your tender tush." Danny retorted.

Eddie gave Jamie a confused look. "Your sister spanks you?"

"It's kind of his thing. Ask Erin for some pointers Janko, it might spice up your love life" Danny said as he walked over to the RMP and pointed at Eddie: "You drive. Dopey can ride in the back like a perp" Danny smirked before lowering himself and his second dog into the cruiser's front passenger's seat.

A red-faced Jamie stared death daggers at the back of his brother's head the entire 15 block drive to 1PP.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017:

One Police Plaza

Manhattan, NY

4:08 p.m.

Danny climbed out of the cruiser and headed to the courtyard to await his father, whose presence he had requested in a call made during the ride over.

Punctual as ever, Frank arrived five minutes later and sat down next to his eldest son.

"I told you that you weren't ready to return to duty." Frank began.

"And you were right, but I was going stir crazy sitting around the house, thinking about Linda." Danny responded while staring straight ahead.

"Thinking about Linda your wife, mother of your sons, tragedy of her loss, or, were you thinking about what secret Linda held and how you were going to get in contact with your brother." Frank replied.

Danny turned and looked his father in the eyes. "M.E. signed off on the autopsies. All but the little boy drowned. He died of blunt force trauma to his head and chest. Probably was gone by the time they loaded him on the helicopter." Danny stated.

"Damn." Frank shook his head.

"Yeah." Danny replied before continuing. "When I realized I couldn't function in the squad, I took a long walk. Wound up outside Jack's building so I went upstairs." He confided.

"Am I going to find a warrant out for your arrest?" Frank inquired.

Danny laughed. "No Dad, never touched him. I told him what Jamie told me to, that the legal privilege passed to me and I was exercising it. He folded and gave me what I wanted. You know, the more I learn from Jamie, the more I'm convinced he should have been an attorney, but don't tell him that."

"He knows, trust me." Frank smiled.

Danny reached into his inner suit pocket and withdrew the two envelopes. "Jack had these in his safe. The first one is from Linda to me explaining herself. The second is from Joe, to be opened in the event of his real death. Put these in your safe, I don't trust myself not to open them" Danny informed his father. "We can read them together after the funeral. Otherwise, I'm afraid that my anger will override my grief and I can't do that to Jack and Sean".

"You're putting their needs ahead of yours. Congratulations, you're a father." Frank stated as he slipped the envelopes into his inner suit jacket pocket.

"Boyle admitted that he's alive. Sent a coded message over a burner after Linda died. As we suspected, he's deep with the DEA." Danny informed his father.

"Any way to get a message to him now?" Frank asked.

"I forgot to ask I was so overcome knowing that he was alive." Danny responded.

"Let's keep this to ourselves for now. I don't want to upset your siblings even more." Frank stated.

"That's okay, Jamie's pretty upset right now as it is." Danny smirked.

Frank looked at his eldest son who explained that Jamie and Edit had run into him on his way to 1PP.

"You punked him in front of his partner." Frank inquired.

"Come on Dad, it's about time he either shit or get off the pot. Same with Erin and Jack. Either do something about it or move on, life doesn't give us forever, does it?" He asked his father.

"No son, it does not." Frank replied as Danny got up off the bench.

"I'll hail a cab back to the Five Four and pick up my Jeep. Then I have to go pick up the boys from baseball practice. See you at home." Danny stated as he walked away.

Frank watched Danny walk away and he couldn't fault his logic. It seemed that no Reagan was afforded the luxury of growing old with their beloved spouse. Danny was right. You had to start early and enjoy every moment you had because the best way to make God laugh was to tell him your plans.

Maybe it was time he had a father-daughter talk with Erin, and a father-son talk with Jamie, and maybe, even a son to father talk with his own dad, but if he were honest and not a hypocrite, he'd have the first conversation with his mirror. After 12 years, maybe it was time to remove his wedding ring and place his name back on the dating circuit after all, he would instantly become one of New York City's most eligible bachelors. Then again, any woman he brought home would have to pass the inspection gauntlet of his children which God willing would soon include Joe.

"Come home to us my boy, we really need you." Frank whispered before he lifted himself up and headed back to his office.


	10. Chapter 10

Friday, June 2, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

9:00 a.m.

Danny looked in the mirror as he tied his tie. Linda's funeral mass began in two hours. He took extra special care as he wanted to look good for Linda, though rationally, he knew she wouldn't know what he looked like one way or the other.

He had originally planned on having the service the coming Monday but decided that nobody could go through another weekend moping around and dreading what they all knew awaited them. It was time for the entire family to move on with their lives and the sooner this formality was over, the better.

Danny had never liked funerals. They reminded him of all the death he had scene both as a United States Marine and as a sworn police officer. The first funeral he could recall was that of his maternal grandfather, Dolan Riley. Danny was 8 years old and Jamie hadn't even been conceived. Less than a year later his maternal grandmother, Margaret Riley went to her eternal rest. Then in 2001, it was his paternal grandmother, Betty Reagan, followed in 2005 by his mother, Mary and finally in 2009, his brother Joe, or so he had been led to believe.

When Dolan had died, he was too young to understand what death really meant, other than when someone died, they no longer came over for Sunday dinner, or gave you birthday or Christmas presents, or talked to you on the phone and instead of visiting them in their house, you had to go to something called a cemetery to talk to them, yet they never spoke back to you, which Danny thought was kind of rude because if he ever failed to answer someone, his mother would swat his butt. However, as he grew older his parents and grandparents had taught him to have faith, that God had a plan and that you spoke to the departed, that's what they called dead people, the departed, though Christ because the departed resided with Jesus in heaven. A young Danny often wondered how many bedrooms the house had to hold all of these departed people, and did they get their own bedroom or did they have to share it, and more importantly, how many bathrooms were there, because Erin hogged the one she shared with Danny and Joe so Danny could only imagine that if there were a lot of girls there banging on the bathroom door, he'd never be able to take a crap in peace.

By the time Joe had died, Danny had seen more death than anyone ought to have witnessed in a lifetime and he had abandoned any preconception of faith, be it religious or in his fellow man, that he at one time held.

Even with Linda, Danny couldn't bring himself to believe that she was in heaven with Christ. To his way of thinking, you were born, you lived, you died, and these were each important. He tended to deal too much with how people died and this tarnished his views on humanity as well as religion. As September 11, 2001 and his time in Iraq proved to Danny, too much death came from religion, so what the hell good was it? How could a benevolent God, call him by any name you want, allow humanity to feed on itself in the ways that he had seen. Where was God to stop it, and how could this be his great and unknown plan? As such, he adamantly believed that this was no dress rehearsal and when your number came up, you cashed in your chips and that was it.

What Danny did believe was that you were judged by your actions and the company that you kept but not by God, but by those who really knew you and if you were worth remembering, family, friends, and those who respected you would keep your memory alive by speaking good of you, and this is the discussion he had with his sons the previous night after Sean had asked if his mother was in heaven with Christ and if not, what would people think of her?

"In his last interview before he died, John Wayne was asked what he thought his legacy would be, you know, how he'd be remembered after he was gone and he said that he had lived his life so that his family would love him, and his friends respect him, and everyone else could think whatever the hell they wanted." Danny explained.

"Those of us who knew Mom and loved her and respected her know who she is and what she meant to us, to her family, her colleagues, her patients, her community, and beyond that, I don't think she'd care what someone else thought of her because I know that I sure don't and neither should you." He concluded.

Jack was pragmatic and accepted that it was what it was and that it was their job to cherish their mother's memory and the time they had with her, but they had to go on living. Their obligation was to do so in a way that would have made her proud, whether in life or death, however, Sean needed something more visceral to hold on to but Danny just couldn't give it to him and he wasn't going to lie or to say something that he didn't believe, just to provide paternal comfort.

Finally, Danny asked Erin and Jamie, who still held some semblance of faith, to speak with Sean. Hopefully they had provided their nephew with the comfort he had been seeking.

Having knotted his tie, Danny walked over to the closet and removed his new suit jacket from its hanger. He stared into his childhood closet remembering the first time he performed the same act in order to attend his grandfather's funeral. He recalled the time he dressed in this very room to attend his mother's funeral 12 years ago, and finally, he recollected putting on his NYPD dress blues before the same mirror in this same room in order to stand beside his grandfather and father while saluting Joe's flag draped casket.

Danny shook himself out of his reverie. Here he was, about to bury the woman he loved, the mother of his children, his soul mate, and he wasn't even thinking of her because he was so consumed by his anger and fear for Joe.

Danny recalled the numerous times that he had put Linda on the back burner so that he could work a case and he was doing it again, this time for his brother as Joe was becoming Danny's ultimate case to solve.

Now that he believed that his wayward brother was alive and what he was likely up to, Danny was consumed by the constant fear that Joe would be killed before they could bring him home. He had believed for the past 8 years that Joe died because he had failed to protect his younger brother, which was the reason he had been so determined to toughen up Jamie, because he could not, would not, lose another brother. He was being given a second chance and he would not fail Joe this time.

There was a gentle knock on his bedroom door. "Time to go Dan." His father said.

"Be right there Dad." Danny replied before he took one last look in the mirror.

Five minutes later, Danny walked outside to find the limousines that would convey them to the church, the cemetery, and back home. There were two stretched black Lincoln MKTs along with Frank's detail in an undercover Crown Vic. At either end of the lineup there was a marked NYPD RMP.

"Dad, I thought we agreed. No marked cars." Danny stated.

"Not my call Dan, talk to your ex-squad boss and Baker" Frank commented as he followed Henry, Erin, and Nicky towards the second limo.

Danny, Jack, Sean, and Jamie got into the lead limo.

"Let it go Danny, you kept the Department out of everything else to do with today" Jamie cautioned.

Danny grunted in acknowledgement. He had been adamant. No dress uniforms for the Reagan men. No NYPD motorcade or bagpipe band. He knew many would want to use this opportunity to make a big show in order to curry favor with the P.C. but Linda was only Frank's daughter-in-law, not his daughter and where he may have had a stronger say over matters to do with Erin, Frank knew that when it came to Linda, he was wise to adhere to Danny's wishes and Danny remained emphatic that this was not going to be a cop style funeral nor did he want the NYPD controlling events or involving itself.

Danny wasn't even carrying his gun or shield though Jamie was, if only to protect his family if the need arose.

If Danny was honest, this was the first time in his life that he hated being a cop, that he detested the NYPD, because it was a greedy mistress, always wanting something and constantly taking from him, and though it had nothing to do with the crash that killed Linda, it did cause him to switch shifts with her. It had constantly demanded his time and attention which he took from her to feed its insatiable maw. This is why he was so blunt with Jamie and Erin, because they could still get their shit together and have a good fulfilling life with the person they loved because those people were right there in front of their stubborn faces, but Danny's love had been cruelly taken from him and there was nothing he could do to make up for the lost chances and the time he had spent chasing his career as opposed to being with his wife.

The procession quickly and quietly made its 1.7-mile trip from Bay Ridge to The Roman Catholic Church of St. Patrick on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, not to be confused with its more prominent relative on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, St. Patrick's Cathedral.

In fact, the Archbishop of New York had personally called Frank to offer both himself along with the famous cathedral to host Linda's funeral mass, but knowing his family, Frank had respectfully declined explaining that Linda's expressed wishes were that the service be hosted by her priest at the family's church.

Upon exiting the Lincoln, Danny saw the limo that had brought Linda's family parked behind the hearse bearing Linda's coffin. He put his arms around his sons and they walked over to it.

The driver respectfully opened the rear door, exposing the casket which Danny and the boys each laid a hand on.

"This will be the last time that we'll have any private time with Mom so say to her what you want her to know and then offer her a prayer" Danny instructed before they each bowed their heads.

Once this had been accomplished, they stepped back as the six pallbearers approached, ready to bring Linda into church.

Linda had requested Jamie as the lead pallbearer. She also wanted her brother, Jimmy O'Shea, and her former brother-in-law Jack Boyle along with two of her friends, Dr. Stuart Friedman from her days at Kings County General, and John Porter, a burly male nurse at St. Victor's. Danny was to pick the final pallbearer.

Danny suspected the sixth spot had been intentionally left open in case Joe returned from the dead but looking around, he highly doubted that was going to happen which is why last night he had asked his former partner DeMarcus King who accepted.

Danny looked at his watch, dreading what was to come. His grandfather gently slipped beside him. "Suck it up Marine" he ordered to which Danny instinctively straightened. "We'll all get through this together." Henry advised.

"Aye Aye Staff Sergeant" Danny replied.

"Smart ass" Henry quipped and for the first time that day, Danny cracked a smile.

"Time to get the show on the road" he announced as he and the remaining Reagan and O'Shea family members fell in behind the pallbearers as they gently carried Linda inside to her funeral mass.


	11. Chapter 11

Friday, June 2, 2017:

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Patrick, Brooklyn, NY

10:00 a.m.

Linda had very few instructions for her service leaving Danny and his family to plan it as they saw fit. While she had a good relationship with her sister Wendy, it wasn't the sisterly bond that she shared with Erin and similarly, while she loved her niece Sophie, Nicky was more the daughter that she never had. As for brothers, this was a no brainer. Jimmy O'Shea was always in some form of trouble and they had a very strained relationship, particularly with her having married into a family of cops. She would always lover her brother, but he wasn't Joe or Jamie and as most people knew, she held a special place in her heart for the youngest Reagan son who held so many compassionate and empathetic qualities she had wished his eldest brother would learn to emulate.

Therefore, it was no surprise when Jack Boyle informed Danny that Linda had requested Sophie and Nicky to each present a reading of a biblical text and for Jamie to deliver the eulogy.

Sophie and Nicky were permitted to pick their own readings subject only to the priest's approval. Danny had no idea as to what Jamie had planned to say but he trusted that his brother would deliver a eulogy that Linda would be proud of.

The service had begun and Danny sat in the front row lost in thought staring at his late wife's casket that was draped not in the American flag, but in the vertical orange, white, and blue tri-color of the City of New York.

Frank had adorned Mary's casket in the same manner. When his children asked why he informed them that their mother was first and foremost a New Yorker and that she loved her city above all else. Linda was the same way so Danny elected to honor her in the same manner.

He was snapped out of his reverie when the priest called upon Linda's niece, Sophie Lightner to give the first reading.

Sophie walked to the lectern.

"A reading from the Book of Lamentations" She began.

" _My soul is deprived of peace,  
I have forgotten what happiness is;  
I tell myself my future is lost,  
all that I hoped for from the LORD.  
The thought of my homeless poverty  
is wormwood and gall;  
Remembering it over and over  
leaves my soul downcast within me.  
But I will call this to mind,  
as my reason to have hope:_

 _The favors of the LORD are not exhausted,  
his mercies are not spent;  
They are renewed each morning,  
so great is his faithfulness.  
My portion is the LORD, says my soul;  
therefore will I hope in him._

 _Good is the LORD to one who waits for him,  
to the soul that seeks him;  
It is good to hope in silence  
for the saving help of the LORD"._

"The Word of the Lord" She concluded.

Another prayer was offered followed by a hymn after which Nicky was called to the lectern.

"A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians" Nicky began.

" _Brothers and sisters:  
We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent,  
should be destroyed,  
we have a building from God,  
a dwelling not made with hands,  
eternal in heaven._

 _We are always courageous,  
although we know that while we are at home in the body  
we are away from the Lord,  
for we walk by faith, not by sight.  
Yet we are courageous,  
and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.  
Therefore, we aspire to please him,  
whether we are at home or away.  
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,  
so that each may receive recompense,  
according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil"_.

"The word of the Lord" She concluded before she returned to her seat next to Erin.

Danny smiled at his niece and nodded his thanks. She had grown into a wonderful young woman and he had to admit, that Erin had done a fantastic job in raising her. She had beauty, intellect, poise, and spunk. At some point in the future Nicky would replace her mother as the one bossing the Reagan men around and Danny looked forward to that day.

After another prayer, it was time for the eulogy. Danny watched as his baby brother, who had been sitting on the other side of Sean two spots to his left, slowly rose and made his way to the lectern. As accustomed as Danny was to seeing Jamie in his uniform or his NYPD dress blues, the sight of him in a new three-piece black pinstripe suit completed the picture of Jamison Reagan, the attorney. He turned to look at Erin, who looked over to Danny with the same expression of unfettered pride in the boy they had helped raise.

"Joe, you don't know what you're missing". Danny thought to himself.

"From Proverbs 31 of the Old Testament" Jamie began.

" _A woman of valor–seek her out, for she is to be valued above rubies. Her husband trusts her, and they cannot fail to prosper. All the days of her life she is good to him. She opens her hands to those in need and offers her help to the poor. Adorned with strength and dignity, she looks to the future with cheerful trust. Her speech is wise, and the law of kindness is on her lips. Her children rise up to call her blessed, her husband likewise praises her: 'Many women have done well, but you surpass them all.' Charm is deceptive and beauty short-lived, but a woman loyal to God has truly earned praise. Give her honor for her work; her life proclaims her praise."_

Jaime looked up from the lectern at his brother and nephews. "What a beautiful and precise illustration of Linda" Jamie proudly announced, his usually soft voice now authoritative and commanding.

"In this world, there are givers, and there are takers. Linda didn't know how to take, or how to accept from others for she was a giver. She was kind, caring, loving, nurturing, and most importantly, patient. She had to be for she was married to Danny who is the living definition of controlled chaos". He stated, causing everyone to laugh in addition to drawing a smiling smirk from his brother.

"Linda was in her element doing her good and necessary work as a nurse and I should know, she often took care of me in her hospitals." He said, drawing another laugh.

"She loved life itself and if she could, she would tell us all to quit sitting around crying and mourning her, to take a stiff drink, enjoy a good meal, and have fun, after you did your homework." He smiled at his nephews who laughed with him.

"She loved to cook and I think she secretly enjoyed Sunday dinners as an excuse to bond with Henry over recipes and to catch up on the latest church and neighborhood gossip".

"When our mother died, Linda could have devoted her time to taking care of Danny, five-year-old Jack, and two-year-old Sean, but that isn't who Linda was. She made sure that Dad was looked after as well as Erin, Joe, and me. After we lost Joe, it was Linda who often acted as the link between me and Danny, pushing us both to realize that we were now each other's only brother so we had better learn to be there for one another."

"Linda was a wonderful mother, proud of the two young men who sit here with us today, who I am proud to call my nephews. She was the devoted mom who made sure that they toed the line, excelled at their studies, and did their chores, but she also made sure that they enjoyed life as well as the many photographs and videos of she and the boys show, and which Jack and Sean will always have to treasure".

On one occasion, I was nine or ten, Danny, Joe and I were horsing around their apartment. In the course of our being brothers, we had broken one vase, cracked a window, and I had earned a trip to the hospital to have my broken arm set courtesy of my eldest brother. Of course, Linda had been the one who had taken me while she ordered Danny and Joe to clean up the mess we had created. Later that night during dinner she complained that she was outnumbered three to one. I asked if that meant three males to one female, right? Wrong. She said that what she meant was it was one adult, her, to three juvenile delinquents named Reagan.' He said drawing a hearty laugh. "She said that it was omitted in the marriage license that by marrying Danny, she was periodically required to provide adult supervision for her husband and his brothers."

Jamie heard Erin squeal at that.

"Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan" Jamie stated in a serious tone. "Decorated United States Marine, decorated Detective First Grade of the New York City Police Department. Beloved brother, father, son, and grandson, but of all your titles, the one most coveted by Linda, was 'husband'. You were her soul mate, her best friend, her confidante, and her lover. What she saw in you remains a mystery to me, but her love for you my dear brother was evident every day of the time you had with her. When you look at Jack and Sean, and one day their children and grandchildren, you will always see a part of Linda, her beaming eyes, her gentle smile, and maybe even her perturbed look that you earned more times than one can count." He stated, earning more laughs. "She loved you Danny more than anything or anyone else in life. Many years ago, after one of our brotherly fights, Linda tried to calm me down. I told her that I was forced to have you in my life because we come from the same parents, but why did such a kind and intelligent person as her agree to marry you? Her response? 'Because he completes me'."

"To those of us who knew and loved Linda, to those of us she touched in her loving, kind, and gentle way, and to her sons who were born of her love for her husband, I believe that if we could, we would take her and cut her out into stars and she would make the face of heaven so fine that all the world would be in love with night, and pay no worship to the garish sun." Jamie concluded.


	12. Chapter 12

Friday, June 2, 2017:

Holy Cross Cemetery

Brooklyn, NY

11:45 a.m.

Linda's funeral mass lasted one hour. Immediately subsequent to its conclusion, her casket was loaded into the hearse, and followed by the limousines carrying the immediate family, which was followed by those wishing to attend the internment ceremony.

Once inside the privacy of the limousine, Danny, who was seated next to Jamie with Jack and Sean opposite them, reached his arm around his baby brother, pulled him close, and kissed him on the head, something he had not done since Jamie was 5 years old.

"Thank you Jamie, that was a beautiful eulogy." Danny stated while he held his brother.

"She was a wonderful person Danny." Jamie choked back.

"What am I going to do kid?" Danny asked as he released his brother.

"We remember her" Jamie replied. "She'll always be in our hearts, our thoughts, and in our dreams."

Danny nodded. "Remember the day you came back from Harvard and told us that you had enrolled at the academy?"

"How can I forget, I thought you were going to jump across the table and choke me." Jamie answered.

"After losing Joe, I couldn't imagine if anything happened to you, I was so angry that you would put us all through that but Linda, she sat me down and calmly explained to me that it was your choice to make, and was it really that surprising that you would want to honor Joe by joining the brotherhood? She said that even had Joe been around, you would have joined just because it was in your blood and that just like when we were kids, there was no way you were going to let Joe and I do something that you weren't included in." Danny continued.

"She was right." Jamie affirmed.

"She told me that instead of butting heads with you, or hurting your confidence by demeaning you, that the best way I could protect you was to teach you how to protect yourself out there, that you had the brains and the ability, you just needed the best teacher there was, which was me." Danny stated.

Jamie smiled. "She told me the other side of that. How you were afraid for me, and while you weren't really trying to be a hard ass, it was the way you had learned in the Marines and I needed to adjust my attitude to allow for that, but also to take advantage of what you had to teach me because if I became the type of cop you were, along with the rest of my abilities, that I could write my own future in the department."

Danny nodded. "If Joe would have been here, he would have probably told us the same thing."

"Linda picked up that baton." Jamie noted.

Danny addressed his sons: "Nothing is more important than brothers being there for each other."

"And if you need a buffer" Jamie began.

"We have Nicky" Jack and Sean simultaneously replied.

"Right." Danny smirked as the limousine pulled into the cemetery.

"Please Linda, help me get through this" he thought as the rear door opened and he slowly began to step out.

Danny was seated front and center before his wife's final resting place, the casket suspended over the burial vault located six feet beneath the grassy surface. Jack was seated to his right, Sean to his left. Frank sat on the other side of Sean with Henry located next to Jack. Jamie, Erin, Jack Boyle, and Nicky sat in the second row along with Linda's brother, sister, and niece. The remaining friends and colleagues who attended stood behind them.

After Linda had been shot, she had sat Danny down and told them that he could no longer put off the inevitable. They had to plan for their futures which included making a Living Will, a Living Trust, and most importantly, obtaining burial plots. She readily agreed to being buried at Holy Cross however, there were no plots available next to the ones occupied by Betty, Mary, and Joseph Reagan but they were fortunate enough to find a double plot three rows north and about 50 feet west thereof.

The priest began the simple graveside internment service but Danny was only half listening to it. He kept turning to look over his right shoulder towards Joe's grave. Finally on the fourth such act, Erin, realized what Danny was doing and leaned in towards her brother.

"This is your wife's funeral, not a stakeout" she hissed into his ear.

Danny turned his attention back to the priest and remained focused on the rest of the service.

Finally, the casket was lowered into the ground and Danny, followed by Jack, Sean, and the remaining family members each threw a shovel of dirt onto its lid.

Afterward, Danny stood with his boys and thanked the priest as well as all those who had attended while they assailed him with their condolences and platitudes, none of which really meant anything to him while he focused his attention three rows south and five headstones east from where he stood.

Once everyone but the immediate family had departed, Danny decided to take a walk, making a direct bee line to the gravestone that had held his attention for the past 45 minutes. He walked around to face it and knelt down in front.

JOSEPH CONOR REAGAN, June 6, 1977 - May 15, 2009. Beloved Son & Brother.

"What a crock" Danny sarcastically stated to the plot of earth immediately in front of him.

"Daniel": He heard his father's stern voice, looking up to find Frank, Erin and Jamie standing on the back side of the headstone.

"This isn't the time" Frank sternly warned.

"No, but it sure is the place." Danny retorted.

"Once today is over we'll deal with Joe but not now Danny." Erin warned.

"Come on Dan, your sons need their father" Jamie implored.

Danny looked up at his family and nodded but just before he stood up he looked at the headstone one last time.

"Rest in peace little brother because beginning tomorrow, I'm coming after you and I won't stop until I have you by the scruff of the neck."

The family returned home to a catered lunch. The "Shiva" would begin at five that evening and would hopefully end by nine. Being an insular family, none of the Reagans wanted the company of outsiders but all understood that it was something that had to play out and that they were the actors who had a part that must be played.

Friday, June 2, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

4:07 p.m.

Having heard the doorbell, Baker answered it surprised to find Edit Janko still formally dressed from the funeral service.

"Officer Janko" Baker inquired.

"Detective Baker, I thought that maybe I could be of help, maybe with putting the flowers in water, or preparing the food for later." She stated.

"More like eating it" they both heard from the background. "Please let her in Detective." Jamie instructed Baker.

"Please come in Officer." Baker semi-smiled.

"Seriously Reagan?" Eddie quipped.

"Come on Eddie, we all know that your bucket list is nothing more than the names of the top 100 restaurants you'd want to hit in the time you had left." He chuckled.

"Well choir boy, yours is probably the top 100 salad bars you've missed out on so far" She replied.

"Yeah, but at least my salad bars are healthy." Jamie retorted.

"If that's your bucket list, who cares? Who's going to worry about eating healthy if you're going to kick the bucket?" "You sure you went to Harvard because if so, that place is really overrated".

Jamie led Eddie into the kitchen where they began inventorying the food that had been delivered by friends and neighbors, all the while bantering back and forth like an old married couple.

Unbeknownst to them, Frank had observed the interaction between his son and Eddie. He thought back to what Danny had said to him the other day.

"Baker" Frank stated while nodding towards the hallway.

"Sir?" She inquired.

"Give me 5 minutes and then I would like you along with Officers Reagan and Janko to join me in my study" he ordered.

"Yes Sir" She replied, as Frank went off in search of the family's collection of board games.

Danny and Erin overheard the instruction. "Wonder what that's about" Erin asked.

"Guess we'll find out later." Danny smirked.

Baker, Janko, and Jamie entered Frank's home study.

"Officer Janko, Officer Reagan, please have a seat." Frank stated. "For the purpose of this meeting, I am acting as the Police Commissioner and Detective Baker will be taking formal minutes of this meeting".

Eddie looked at Jamie, the look of abject terror in her eyes as she could not imagine what she had done to earn a trip to the principal's private office.

Frank smiled as he reached behind him and brought out the board game Monopoly.

He opened up the box and as Jamie and Eddie watched, he removed the stack of yellow Community Chest cards, and the stack of orange Chance cards. He then began searching each stack until he found the one card in each stack he was seeking before placing that card face down on his desk and returning the remaining cards to the game box, which he then closed and placed on the credenza behind him.

He then handed the orange card to Jamie and the yellow one to Eddie, who turned it over to find the "Get Out Of Jail Free" card with the famous image of the angel fleeing the bird cage. Jamie looked down to find the same card, this one having the famed image of the man wearing prison stripes receiving a boot in his butt as he is literally kicked out of jail.

Frank smiled as the two officers looked up. "When I was a detective, we didn't have all the technology that we do today, and to be honest, perps back then were a lot smarter. They didn't announce their crimes on Facebook or Snapchat, nor did they post videos committing their illegal acts on You Tube. They didn't drive GPS equipped cars to the scene of a crime, and they didn't carry cell phones around so that you could find out where they were hiding. There weren't governmental and civilian cameras covering about every square block of this city, nor did the citizens walk around with portable recording devices that capture what we may miss. So, back in the day, we had to cultivate relationships and a lot of that meant trading favors. Someone gave me info, and I helped them out in return. We're talking civil infractions, low misdemeanors, stuff like that. My shtick was that I had had these Monopoly cards printed up with my name and precinct information on the back and if one of my CI's or witnesses ever had a problem, they could redeem that card with me and I would do all that I legally do to help them" He explained.

"You think this is something we should do as well?" Jamie asked.

"No Jamie, I've given those cards to you and Officer Janko because after we have our talk, you are going to have the option to use them as an alternative to facing departmental discipline. I've had my eye on you both since the day you partnered up and while there is no question that both of you have excelled at your jobs, and have the highest patrol collar rate in your precinct as well as the entire department, it's pretty apparent that there's more to your relationship than being police partners." Frank replied.

"Commissioner Sir, that is untrue." Jamie retorted.

"Is it?" "Then you won't mind answering some questions." Frank replied.

"Such as?" Jamie countered, the attorney in him coming out now.

"Do you have any emotions or feelings for Officer Janko that exceed those emotions you have for your sister or niece?" Frank inquired.

"Yes." Jamie honestly answered.

"Officer Janko, do you have any emotional feelings for Officer Reagan that would exceed those you would have for any male relative?" Frank inquired.

Eddie about choked. "Yes Sir." She humbly replied.

"Have either of you ever acted on these emotions?" Frank inquired.

"Yes" They both replied.

"Has there been any intimacy?" Frank asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"We've kissed on a couple of occasions, but not while on duty." Jamie replied.

Frank nodded.

He fixed his son and Eddie with his sternest look for a few moments before finally leaning back in his chair and smiling.

"Detective Reagan recently reminded me that life does not give us forever to act on something that we should. It's also about the worst kept secret in the department that you two spend about as much time together off duty as you do on tour. Now, I had many partners in my day, but the only one I didn't say goodbye to at the end of tour, had four legs, a tail, and a wet nose and that sure doesn't describe Officer Janko." Frank grinned.

"You two have something special going and if you want to follow it through, you are encouraged to do so, but you cannot remain partners. Those cards absolve each of you of any sin against the Patrol Guide and the Department, actual or perceived, relating to any improper romantic conduct that may have been committed by one or both of you since day one of your partnership. Officer Janko, before you make a decision, I want to caution you. If you elect to exercise your option to proceed with a relationship with my son, you will become a part of this family, and will be expected to join us in family events and for our weekly meal, when you are so able. Furthermore, you should be aware that unfortunately, the women who marry into this family have a shorter life span than the man they marry. My mother has been gone 16 years, my wife for 12, and now my daughter-in-law. I sincerely hope that this curse does not befall you should you one day marry my son. Today you have made your confession to me. Now, you must do so to each other because once you leave this room, it will either be as partners in life, or partners on patrol, but not both". Frank concluded.

Eddie and Jamie looked at each other and nodded before both handing over their Get Out of Jail Free Card. "We formally request new partners." Jamie stated.

Frank nodded. "Detective Baker, please notify the C.O. of the 12th that Officers Reagan and Janko request immediate reassignment of partners and that such reassignment is both approved and to proceed forthwith."

"Yes Sir". Baker grinned.

"All that's left for me to say is Eddie, welcome to the family, and son, it's about time." He concluded before standing to hug Eddie and Jamie.

Danny and Erin watched as Eddie and Jamie exited Frank's study. When she saw the grins plastered on the young couple's faces, Erin hugged Danny's side as he put his arm around her. "Finally." She said.

"She's good for him, and more importantly, I like her." Danny replied.

"Me too." Erin nodded.


	13. Chapter 13

Friday, June 2, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

6:35 p.m.

"Commissioner, Sir." Frank turned to see the warm face and extended hand of the man he had once entrusted with the life of not one, but two of his sons.

Frank smiled back. "Tony, thank you for coming."

"Yes Sir." Renzulli replied.

"This isn't a department event Tony, no need for formalities." Frank cautioned "But, as long as you are here, join me for a moment" he stated as he entered his study and told the seasoned veteran to take a load off.

"You'll hear about this from the precinct C.O. Officers Reagan and Janko have each requested new partners" Frank smiled.

"You mean, they finally admitted they have feelings for each other?" Renzulli inquired.

"They have" Frank affirmed.

"Hallelujah" Renzulli exclaimed.

"I agree, just wanted to give you a head's up." Frank noted.

"I'll assign them to the next best two I got" He informed Frank.

"As long as we're here, may I ask you a question?" Renzulli inquired.

"You can always ask" Frank replied.

"It's been 8 years. Isn't it about time that Jamie got his gold shield, I mean, I know that I'm only a patrol sergeant and I mean no disrespect but with all his collars, commendations, and undercover work, seems like a waste of talent, him riding around in an RMP and all." Renzulli concluded.

"Is that your professional assessment of Jamison?" Frank asked.

That and he has Danny's skills, Joe's empathy, and with that computer of a brain of his, sorry Sir, I think he's has the most potential of all three of your sons, if Joe were still with us that is" He concluded.

"Speaking of Joe" Frank thought to himself before replying: "At this time Jamie may be more cut out to be a patrol Sergeant than a detective, though he will accel at whichever job he wants. Truth is Tony, I've offered him a gold shield and he declined it but I think that's because of not wanting to leave his partnership with Officer Janko. As that matter has been resolved I was hoping that you may steer him towards taking the upcoming Sergeant's exam. He'd make a great T.O. and in this manner, he'd develop his leadership qualities and have supervisory duties he could apply his skill set to. If he performs as I expect, the gold shield will be waiting for him at a later date, should he want it."

"I'll talk to him about it on Monday." Renzulli smiled.

"Thanks Tony, can I get you a drink?" Frank offered as the two men exited the study.

Danny had just concluded a conversation with a friend of the family when he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around to see who it was he broke into his first big smile in a long time. "Jack" He said as he pulled his former partner into a hug.

Jackie Curtola returned the hug as she expressed her condolences. Once the two separated, she inquired as to how Danny and the boys were holding up and asked if there was anything that she could do. Finally, all concerns having been answered, Danny inquired:

"Still working out of D.C.?" Referencing her job with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

"Actually, I left there a few months ago. I'm with Homeland now." She replied.

"Something happen?" He asked.

"Nothing like that Reagan" she explained. "There was an opening with DHS and I decided it was a better fit. Brought me back to New York."

"When did you get back?" Danny inquired.

"About a month ago and trust me, I was going to come by the squad and surprise you, but between getting settled in and being over worked, I hadn't yet found the time. Then I heard about your house and then Linda." She concluded.

"Agent Curtola, it's good to see you again" the deep voice of her former boss echoed.

"Commissioner" She smiled in returned.

"Please, call me Frank" He insisted before asking Jackie as to how her new job was going, and that he looked forward to interacting with her on future matters involving New York City.

As soon as Frank had finished, Sid Gormley walked over and the former squad commander and his former detective caught each other up on their new jobs.

In the interim, Maria Baez had arrived and Danny went over to welcome her.

"Is there anything I can do to help out?" She asked.

"I think we have it pretty well covered, but maybe check with Erin or Pops, I'm staying out of their kitchen." He noted.

"Smart man Reagan." Baez grinned as she walked away.

A few moments later, Jackie returned. "Sorry about that." She said.

"Nothing to be sorry about" Danny replied. "Listen, since I have you here, take a walk with me outside, I have something to ask you and I don't want to do in here."

Once they were outside, Danny took a deep breath and exhaled.

"What is it Danny?" A concerned Jackie inquired.

"I have something to tell you that right now only Dad, Jamie, Erin, myself, and Linda's attorney knows" He began.

"Last time you told me something like that was the night we took down the Blue Templar." She said before noticing the look on his face.

"Oh my God, not again?" She asked.

"No, those guys are either dead or in prison but you aren't too far off." He responded. "What I'm going to tell you stays between us, but I'm kind of in a position where I need your help." He concluded.

"What is it Reagan?" She skeptically asked, knowing how Danny used to drag her into his many schemes, some of which almost cost them both their shields.

"When Linda died, she left me and the boys each a letter, a final farewell. The last paragraph of my letter mentioned a secret that she had kept, so after discussing with my father, brother, and sister what this could mean, we all came up with the same answer, one that Jack Boyle, her attorney confirmed." Danny stated.

"What secret could Linda have kept from you? One of the boys isn't yours, or she has another kid?" Jackie asked.

"No, I could live with that and she knew it. What she knew I would never forgive her for, was keeping a secret that affected my entire family and by that, I mean all of us." He replied.

Jackie thought about it and all of a sudden it hit. Her jaw dropped as her eyes went wide. "No way Reagan, it can't be." She stated.

"It's true" Danny nodded.

Jackie leaned in and whispered. "He faked his own death?"

"That's what it looks like" Danny softly replied.

"But why?" Jackie asked.

"You remember that after we busted the dirty cops, we interrogated Alex Bello from I.A. Remember, what he told us, that the FBI had changed Joe's contact and that Agent Anderson was on the Templar's payroll. She's the one who Jamie didn't trust and wouldn't work with so that's why Bello had Malevsky cut the brake lines on Joe's Chevelle." Danny began.

"You mean Jamie's Chevelle" Jackie reminded Danny.

"Potato Potahto, same car. What's important is that Joe didn't trust her either and he made a separate voice recording saying so that Jamie found in a box of Joe's things that Angela gave Jamie a couple of weeks before we busted the dirty cops." Danny explained.

"He thought they may have made him." Jackie recounted.

"Exactly, so he figured out some way to be ready in case they tried to take him out. At the same time, he didn't trust his new FBI handler, Anderson, and if you think about it, what was the Templar involved in at the time?" Danny inquired

"Ripping drugs and cash off of gangs and killing them." She answered.

"The operative word here, is 'drugs'" Danny noted.

"He went to the DEA." Jackie stated.

"Had to have" Danny replied.

"He's undercover." Jackie surmised.

"Way deep." Danny stated.

"How do you know?" Jackie asked.

"Think about it. I confiscate eighteen million in drug money and two nights later my house goes up like a roman candle, but, nobody is home when it happens." Danny answered.

"Yeah, I wondered about that. Cartels have no scruples when it comes to killing people, especially when they want to make them an example, so why didn't they torch the place with all of you inside?" She inquired and then, answered her own question. "Because Joe is imbedded with the same cartel and he must have warned them about the heat killing you and your family would bring down on them".

"That, or he found a way to warn Linda." Danny replied.

"So what do you need my help with, sounds like you know where he is" She stated.

"Not exactly. I mean, it's not like I can just catch a flight to Mexico and start asking around 'hey, where can I find my brother, the undercover DEA agent, oh, and by the way, my name is Reagan, as in the guy who took that 18 Mil from your boat'" Danny replied.

"Smart ass." Jackie grinned.

Danny smirked: "I'm hoping that as a Fed, you have a contact at the DEA that you trust with Joe's life, who can figure out a way that we can make contact with him, or a way to bring him home alive before his luck runs out."

"I have a good contact there from my days at NCIS and contacts I trust at a couple of other alphabet agencies who owe me a favor or two." She acknowledged.

"Thanks Jack, I wouldn't ask this of you if it weren't my brother. I really need him as do my boys, not to mention Dad and Jamie". Danny informed Jackie.

"Hey Reagan, no sweat. Nothing more you need to say". Jackie responded.

"Let's head back inside before my dad wonders what's going on". Danny informed Jackie.

"I'm sure he already has an idea" Jackie replied as they walked toward the side door.

Erin was in the kitchen washing dishes when Boyle stepped in beside her holding a dish towel. He took the recently washed dish from Erin and began to dry it.

"Remember all the times we stood here doing this?" He asked her.

"Every time we had a fight during dinner, we were assigned KP duty." She replied.

"Did you ever wonder where along the way we screwed up?" Boyle inquired.

"Yeah" She answered.

"Danny came by my office a couple of days ago" Boyle began.

"About our brother" Erin stated, not wanting to use Joe's name in case someone was listening in.

"He told me that you still carried a torch for me and that I still carried one for you. In my case, he was right." Boyle confessed.

Erin set down the dish she was washing and turned off the water before turning her attention to Boyle.

"There are many times I have felt the same way Jack, especially a couple of years back when we began seeing each other again but if you recall, you like the fun and games without the responsibility and commitment that go hand in hand with an adult relationship." She stated.

Boyle sheepishly nodded: "Danny told me to grow up and realize that I couldn't continue to play the field if I still loved you, that I had to make that commitment once and for all or move on. He also said that you had to come down from your high horse and accept that us mere mortals were flawed and couldn't always live up to your standards."

"More like he told you that I should learn that I was a flawed mortal and to stop judging you" Erin smiled.

"Something like that." Boyle grinned back.

"You were and have always been my one true love." Erin informed him.

"I know you won't believe me, but the same holds true here. I know that I have a lot to make up for, not just with you but with Nicky. I've been an absent father and I want to change that." Boyle stated.

"That's between you and Nicky but it would mean a lot to her if you were there when she walks across the stage at her graduation commencement next June, and to one day walk her down the aisle at her wedding, and to be there when the time comes for her to place your first grandchild in your arms." Erin stated as she noticed Boyle's eyes tearing up as he nodded.

Erin hugged her ex-husband. "Danny is right, life is too short. I'm willing to give it another try if you are, but Jack, it's all or nothing." She warned.

"I agree. Just please, I know I'm not perfect, but maybe you can go easy on the telling me so from now on" He stated.

Erin leaned up and kissed him. "We'll see" She grinned.


	14. Chapter 14

Friday, June 2, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

8:00 p.m.

Father Steven of The Roman Church of St. Patrick arrived promptly at 8:00 p.m.

When Danny, Jamie, and Erin had met with him to plan Linda's funeral and mass, Jamie had brought up his idea of holding a Shiva like ceremony instead of a wake, which Danny had forbidden.

"You understand that we can't say the actual Kaddish which our Jewish brothers recite at the Shiva" Father Steven inquired.

"I understand Father, but perhaps there is a mourning prayer that we can say, to comfort Linda's family and to celebrate her life." Jamie replied.

"As a matter of fact young Jamison, there is and I would be happy to lead it." Father Steven replied.

And so it was that upon Father Steven's arrival, Jamie and Erin had asked all those present to assemble in the formal living room.

Copies of the prayer were passed out and indicated which portions required the vocal response of those present.

Father Steven began:

As we mourn the loss of our beloved Linda, please join me in the mourner's prayer.

Priest:

" _Dearest Jesus, who wept at the death of your friend_ _  
_ _and taught that they who mourn shall be comforted,_ _  
_ _grant us the comfort of your presence in our loss._ _  
_ _Send Your Holy Spirit to direct us_ _  
_ _lest we make hasty or foolish decisions._ _  
_ _Send Your Spirit to give us courage_ _  
_ _lest through fear we recoil from living._ _  
_ _Send Your Spirit to bring us your peace_ _  
_ _lest bitterness, false guilt, or regret take root in our hearts"._

Congregants:

 _"The Lord has given._ _  
_ _The Lord has taken away._ _  
_ _Blessed be the name of the Lord._

 _Amen"._

Priest:

 _"O sweet mother Mary,_ _  
_ _who knew the sadness of mourning those your heart loved most,_ _  
_ _Jesus, your Son,_ _  
_ _and Joseph, your devoted spouse"._

Congregants _:_

 _"Pray for us in our time of loss._

 _Amen"._

"And now, Jack and Sean have a prayer they would like to offer to their mother" Father Steven announced.

Jack and Sean simultaneously began:

" _Dear Lord, relying on your promises to us, we turn to you in trust that our mother is with you and that she is enjoying your loving embrace. You alone know how she loved the best she could and how she faithfully endured the struggles that she faced. You know the graces you gave her and you know the grace she was for us and for so many. For all the ways she truly loved the way you loved her, please reward her, Lord. May she enjoy the communion of all her family and friends who are with you._

 _Lord, we know our mother still loves us who are still here on earth. We ask you that you might listen to her fervent prayers for us. Help us to grow into a new and deeper relationship with our mother now, as we long for the day when we will meet with her in your embrace - freed from all that might have hindered our relationship on earth, knowing and understanding everything we did not know or understand at this time._

 _We ask you this with faith in the resurrection, trusting our mother's love, and desiring that she knows our love for her._

 _Amen"._

And now, Danny would like to offer a prayer to his beloved bride.

Danny began, his voice cracking under the weight of grief he was enduring.

" _God of love, be with me as I miss my dearest Linda. I try to live my life but it's difficult because everything reminds me of her, most of all, our sons. Be with me as I try to have a life without my love. Please keep me strong, safe, and supported as I journey on alone with You._

 _Amen."_

By nine o'clock, the Reagans were all emotionally exhausted and the final visitors had left except for Eddie, Maria, and Jackie who helped Erin put the food away and clean the kitchen while Danny, Jamie, Frank, and Jack Boyle cleaned up the house, and returned it to the way it was prior to that evening.

Danny had walked into the kitchen to the laughter of Erin, Maria, and Jackie who were each telling stories about him. Eddie had tossed one or two of her own in from her brief encounters with the detective, along with a couple about Jamie and how much like Danny he could be.

"I'm Glad I amuse you". He stated in his best Joe Pesci imitation.

"Come on Reagan, if we got all your partners and C.O.'s together to tell our stories about you, we could sell tickets and make a fortune." Maria stated.

"No kidding. Reagan's the gift that keeps on giving." Jackie teased.

"I have so much dirt on you, I'd need my own night just to get through a tenth of it." Erin laughed.

Danny looked at Janko who threw her hands up in the air. "I have enough problems with my own Reagan, thank you very much". She said in her defense. "By the way Erin, is it true that you still spank Jamie with a hairbrush?" She innocently inquired.

"Damnit Danny" an embarrassed Jamie shouted from the other room, having overheard Eddie's voice, which was hard not to hear.

"Tonight's about my big brother" Erin replied in an effort not to embarrass Jamie further, especially so soon into his new relationship. "We'll have a girl to girl talk about my baby brother another time." She grinned as Jackie and Maria giggled like two schoolgirls.

Frank walked into the kitchen. "If you ladies are finished embarrassing my sons for the evening, why don't we all retire to family room for a night cap".

Once everyone was seated in the family room, Frank held up his glass. "To Linda, and to absent family and friends" He toasted.

"To Linda, and to absent family and friends" they replied.

Eddie kept looking around the room until she noticed Frank giving her an inquisitive glance.

"Sorry, I was just trying to envision what this room must have looked like 30 years ago during Christmas, with Danny, Erin, Joe and Jamie opening presents and all." She stated.

Frank's face softened and a grin formed as he recalled the youthful days of his children.

"Christmas morning was special, but it was always an ordeal." He began. "First of all, Jamie would get up at 5:00 a.m. raring to go. He usually dragged Joe down here with him, followed later by Erin. Our rule was that nobody opened presents until we were all seated near the tree.

"What about Danny?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, where was Danny?" Jackie and Maria simultaneously inquired.

Henry answered for Frank: "Before Danny joined the Marine Corps, you couldn't pull him out of bed on a non-school day until it was late morning, except on Sunday when he knew he had to go to Church. He couldn't have cared less about Christmas or presents, he just wanted to sleep".

Danny nodded. "I'll never forget my first day at Parris Island. 4:00 a.m. the drill sergeant starts beating the side of a garbage can with a mallet and screaming at us to get our you know what's out of his bunks. Ever since then, unless I'm on a night tour, I have never slept past 6:00 a.m."

"We used to send Jamie to jump on Danny's bed and tell him to get up so that we could begin celebrating." Erin giggled.

Danny looked at Jamie. "You hear that? Jump on Danny's bed, not on Danny."

Jamie grinned. "Had a greater effect when I landed on you."

"Your knees in my face." Danny recalled.

"Better than if I landed them two feet lower." Jamie chuckled.

"Yeah, but then we wouldn't have Jack or Sean" Erin laughed.

"Really funny Erin". Danny smirked.

"Once Danny graced us with his presence, Joe would usually act as Master of Ceremonies. He'd pick out a present, announce who it was from and to who it was for, and deliver it to that person." Henry informed them.

And while Joe was busy doing that, Danny would help Jamie open his presents. It was the one time of the year that you really saw Danny's love for his pesky baby brother." Erin smiled.

"He's still pesky, but I still love him." Danny said as he reached over and gave Jamie a noogie.

"In the house, the four of them were fair game for one another but outside of it, you mess with one, you had all four to deal with." Henry stated.

"They fiercely protected each other." Boyle commented.

"They still do." Frank replied. "Which is why this is as good a time as any to get down to another matter, but first, would everyone please put their phones in this box. Courtesy of TARU, once closed, its sound proof.

What about bugs? Danny inquired.

"Had the place swept during the evening." Frank replied before turning to Jackie.

Jackie, I'm sure by now that Danny has had a certain discussion with you. Maria, there are some things about to happen where Danny may need to be absent from time to time, or, he many require your help. Eddie, the same holds true for Jamie".

"What are you talking about Francis?" Henry inquired.

"This is not to leave this house am I clear?" Frank asked to which everyone nodded.

"There is a very important life at stake and we do not want to risk it further."

Frank turned to his father. "Certain facts have come to light that lead Danny, Erin, Jamie, Jack, and me to believe" he hesitated before continuing "that Joe faked his death 8 years ago."

Henry thought he was going to have another heart attack. "You're telling me that my grandson is still alive?" He asked.

"Not only alive, but he's deep undercover and with the help of all here, I hope to bring him home. I want my son back".

Frank reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope addressed to Danny who opened it.

"This is a letter from Linda explaining a secret she kept from me. It would have to be of such magnitude that she knew I could never forgive her. The only thing that meets that test is something that involves my family and the only thing that could involve her would have been Joe".

"It's dated May 15, 2017, the 8th anniversary of Joe's death" Danny informed everyone.

" _My Dearest Danny"_

" _If you are reading this letter, it's because a certain truth has been revealed to you, and I am no longer alive to explain myself. Maybe that's best because there is no way that I could ever face you, your father, grandfather, sister, Nicky, or our children, in person. Most importantly, I could never face Jamie again knowing the pain he still endures."_

" _I guess I'll just come right out and say it. Your brother Joe did not die on May 15, 2009. He faked it and I helped him pull it off"._

You could hear the collective sound of everyone simultaneously inhaling at Linda's revelation.

" _Most of what happened with the Blue Templar you and Jamie figured out, but what you didn't know was that Agent Anderson was on the Templar's payroll. When she was substituted for the contact Joe previously had, he became suspicious. He also had a very good read on Sonny Malevsky and two of the other detectives he knew that were part of it. He became suspicious at how they spoke to him, or how they became quiet when he showed up around them. He knew that somehow it had gotten back to them that he was working for someone investigating them._

 _What they didn't know, and even the FBI didn't know, was that Joe was working for the DEA. The DEA knew that no son of Frank Reagan could be corrupt or corrupted so the DEA approached him. The FBI came in later because they were investigating the interstate robberies that occurred in New York and New Jersey, but the DEA was involved because of the drugs._

 _Joe wanted to tell you and Frank so badly what he was up to, but he knew that all it would take was one slip and the entire family could be in mortal danger. This is why he came to me, because nobody would suspect a nurse working in Brooklyn was somehow involved_.

 _May 15, 2009: Joe suspected that this would be the night they would take him out. Joe will have to tell you himself how he did it, but the DEA was involved in helping him._

 _Joe told me that he would be taken out in Brooklyn, and that his body would be brought to King's General, where I was scheduled to work._

 _He asked me get him into a secure private area once he arrived and to make the positive I.D. so that none of the family saw him._

 _I didn't want to do any of this and I told him, I begged him to go to you or Frank but he said that it was too far past that point, that he didn't trust the FBI or the NYPD and he couldn't risk the family, that he had to die that night, or at least, make it appear that he did. Otherwise they may have gone after Frank, you, or Erin. Even Jamie's name had been mentioned since he was at Harvard and would be easy to kidnap or kill._

 _Once the family left the hospital, Joe was taken by DEA agents and a mask was made of his face in order to stage the wake and funeral._

 _He was out of New York City within hours of the time he arrived at the hospital._

 _Over the years we kept in touch through a network set up by people Joe trusted. He knew he could never go to you, Jamie, Erin, or Frank because you were all being watched so he used me as his conduit. He also knew that none of you could keep up the façade of his death._

 _My attorney was instructed that upon my death to send a coded message to a pre-programmed number on a cell phone I provided. This message should get to Joe letting him know that I'm dead._

 _Joe promised me that if that happened, he would find a way to get back home because I was his only lifeline and he would not remain undercover without one._

 _I'm sorry, but he never confided in me who at the DEA you could contact or trust._

 _My last contact with him was yesterday so I do know that the reason we were not killed in the fire is because of Joe. I'm sure you can figure out why._

 _Danny, I am so sorry for doing this to you and your family. I know that this is the ultimate sin but please forgive me, I was only doing what Joe asked of me and I couldn't risk his life by telling you._

 _Jamie, I know how much Joe's death hurt you and each time you spoke of him a part of me hurt with you. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you by concealing this but Joe did tell me that he was proud of you joining the NYPD, that he knew all along you always would have, and that from reports that have reached him, you may just be a better cop than both him and Danny. He also said to tell you to get off your butt and get a new partner because you aren't going to find a better woman than Janko so for once, listen to Danny and do as he says._

 _Frank, Erin, Henry, Nicky, Jack, and Sean. There is nothing more that I can say other than I love you and that I hope you will pray for me, and that you'll forgive Joe as well. He was only doing what he thought he had to do to protect the family._

 _Love always,_

 _Linda"_

You could have heard a pin drop. The only sound was Erin gently crying against Boyle's shoulder. Her little brother was alive, but the position he had put Linda in, and what he had put his family through, especially Jamie, was breaking her heart.

"I think we all owe Linda an unpaid debt of gratitude for bearing this burden" Frank stated.

"I agree" Jamie immediately replied, his eyes red and wet.

Danny just looked at the letter as one by one his tears dripped down onto it.

Both Jackie and Maria hugged him but he was oblivious to their ministrations.

"I'm not angry at you Linda, I'm proud of you and I love you even more" Danny softly said to the wet paper.

"Her last contact with Joe was the day before the letter was written, so we know they last communicated on May 14th" Boyle stated.

"Which means that as of two and a half weeks ago, he was still alive." Danny noted.

"It's been a long day everyone. Let's call it a night tackle this fresh tomorrow." Frank stated, knowing that his family needed time to process this information.

"What about the other letter?" Danny inquired.

"Let's keep that sealed for now. I for one am praying that we'll never have to open it" Frank responded.

"Amen to that" Danny, Erin, and Jamie simultaneously replied.


	15. Chapter 15

Saturday, June 3, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

8:30 a.m.

Frank entered the kitchen to find Jack, Sean, and Henry already clustered around the breakfast table.

"Coffee's hot" Henry noted.

"Thanks Pop" Francis replied looking around. "Where's Danny?"

"Dad said he had to meet up with someone and would be back later" Sean replied.

Frank nodded. He suspected that Danny was already moving forward on finding Joe and was meeting up with someone who could help.

As suspected, Danny was sitting in the living room of a DEA safehouse across from a woman whose career took a pretty good upwards bump, thanks to the recent actions of one Danny Reagan.

"You know that I can't comment regarding ongoing investigations" DEA Agent Veronica Molina informed Danny.

"And I know that you can either provide me with certain information I'm looking for, or, you can put me in touch with someone higher up the food chain who can." Danny replied.

Molina calmed down. She knew that she owed Reagan big time and that he had paid a very high personal cost in putting a crippling dent in the finances of one Mexican drug cartel. Her recent promotion was directly a result of his work.

"Talk to me Danny" She stated.

"I have no interest in getting involved in your side of the sand box. I'm not looking to do a drug bust here." Danny replied. "I'm looking to connect with someone who I believe is working for you guys and is planted deep inside Mano Sangriento".

"Is this personal"? She asked.

"Very" Danny replied.

"You looking to arrest this person?" She inquired.

"Arrest him, no. Pop him one in the mouth, probably." Danny smirked.

Molina nodded: "That may be beyond your current physical ability"

"Why's that?" Danny asked.

Molina smiled. "He's a lot bigger and stronger than you remember him to be."

Danny's attention snapped to. "You knew?" He angrily inquired.

"I had to be sure that you knew" She replied.

"I want my brother back" Danny angrily retorted.

Molina calmly replied: "He wants to come home as well, but first, we are in a major position to destroy this cartel and he's the lynch pin to pulling it off but, he's going to need a plan and some help".

"Give me a day to figure out the plan. I have an idea a certain someone can come up with it." Danny replied.

"Ah, you're referring to your smarter brother." She grinned.

"Cute Molina, but yeah. I'll be in touch." Danny said as he stood up to leave.

"Danny, be careful" Molina warned. "He's worried that they aren't finished with you and frankly, so am I".

"Don't worry, I have two boys to raise alone. I'm not going anywhere" He responded.

When Danny arrived home, he pulled his father into the study and informed him as to his meeting with Molina.

"We need to formulate a plan" Danny stated.

"Call your brother and sister and get them over here" Frank ordered.

Once Danny had recounted his conversation with Molina, he stated that they needed to come up with some kind of plan to flush Joe out.

Jamie stood up and began pacing, always a good sign that his computer brain was engaged.

"Where is the 18 million?" He inquired.

"Thinking of taking a long vacation?" Erin asked.

"No, I'm thinking of a strategy where we can use it as bait." He replied.

"The Civil Forfeiture Law" She stated.

"Adoptive Forfeiture to be precise" Jamie replied.

"Not all of us had the benefit of an ivy league legal education so could you explain to me what you two are talking about?" Danny exasperatedly inquired.

"When you confiscated the cash, you turned it in" Jamie began.

"It's called Civil Asset Forfeiture because you don't have to file a criminal indictment against a specific individual. Instead, you're charging the item you are seizing. The idea is to preclude criminals from possessing the spoils of their crimes." Erin continued.

"Adoptive Forfeiture is the act whereby the spoils of the seizure are shared between the Feds and the state agency involved in the seizure, in this case, the NYPD" Jamie stated.

"How is it shared?" Danny asked.

"The NYPD gets 80% and the Feds take 20%" Frank replied. "Our share goes into a fund to pay for equipment, training, line of duty death benefits. We just can't use it for ongoing salary or administration costs. Some of it is shared with the FDNY, Transit Police, etc."

"Has that cash been divided up yet?" Jamie asked his father.

"No, right now we have physical custody of the entire sum pending the conclusion of our investigation as well as the DEA's" Frank answered.

"Has the cartel filed a motion to suppress the seizure?" Jamie inquired.

"Not to my knowledge" Erin answered.

"There's the bait" Jamie concluded.

"In what way?" Danny inquired.

"Right now, they're likely trying to figure a way to get the money returned to them. What we need to do is create the legal fiction that allows them to do so" Jamie answered.

"How do we do that"? Erin inquired.

"We pick a fight with the Feds regarding the application of Adoptive Forfeiture. The NYPD argues that the DEA's failure to participate or aid in the confiscation of the drug money was a deliberate and affirmative act that estopps its claim under Adoptive Forfeiture" Jamie stated.

"Of course, Estoppel by Waiver" Erin noted nodding at her brother's ingenuity.

"We get the DEA's attorneys to counter that as Danny acted on his own without NYPD authorization or a warrant, the seizure was the unsanctioned and rogue act of a single cop and therefore the NYPD has no lawful claim to the funds. Estoppel in Pais. If the cartel is smart, it will file an action seeking equitable relief that based on the Estoppel counter-claims and the violation of its 4th Amendment rights, the seizure should be vitiated and the money returned forthwith to its lawful owner" Jamie concluded.

Danny nodded "And how does this get us Joe back"?

"We arrange to deliver the cash back to the cartel at a predetermined point but only their top people can take delivery, we aren't handing 18 million over to foot soldiers. If Joe is as high up in the cartel as we believe, he'll be there to pick it up along with the top brass. When they cross the border, we grab them all up and later we separate Joe from the pack". Erin replied.

"Which is why we have to find out where in Mexico Joe is and arrange to meet up with him to be sure he's in on the plan" Jamie stated.

"Once we find out where, I'll go down" Danny stated.

"Not you Danny, there's too big a price on your head and you have two boys to raise" Frank noted.

"Then who's going?" He inquired.

"I happen to know the perfect person" Jamie informed them.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017:

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

7:30 p.m.

Located three blocks south of the Paso Del Norte International Bridge, or as it's known on the Texas side of the border, the Santa Fe Bridge, sits the world-famous Kentucky Club Bar, a saloon that could be just as at home in lower Manhattan as it is in downtown Juarez, Mexico.

Founded in 1920 the Kentucky Club was opened two years into prohibition. Being only a short walk from downtown El Paso, Juarez, was ready and willing to help thirsty Americans quench their thirst.

Because it reminded him so much of his former hometown, it presently hosted one particular thirsty American Ex-Pat by the name of Sam Phillips who sat alone in a corner where he had a complete view of all the comings and goings, along with a view of the beautiful women, both Gringo and Latina, who were beginning their evening out and about Juarez.

Phillips was mid-way into his second beer when he noticed a very tall golden-haired woman enter. She was wearing a multi pastel colored dress cut mid-thigh which hugged her voluptuous body like a silk sheet. He couldn't help but think of the song "Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart. " _She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a water color, in the rain_ " Sam quietly sang to himself. Her outfit was completed with a fashionable hat, open toe pumps, and a pair of stylish black framed Oleg Cassini sunglasses which hid her eyes as well as the upper part of her face. Sam noticed how her long, tan, muscular legs began on the south side of Juarez and ended somewhere north of the El Paso city limits.

He observed as she took a seat at the end of the bar nearest to him. She had a long-sculpted neck and had pulled her hair to one side revealing a tanned muscular back and sculpted shoulders. To Sam's way of thinking, someone had just deposited a Goddess on a bar stool in that hell hole of a city not ten feet in front of him.

Sam watched for twenty minutes as a few local men approached offering to buy her drinks while putting on their best machismo moves but she gracefully fended them off. Finally, she stood up and looked around settling her Oleg Cassini's on him.

He nodded respectfully to her which was rewarded by her slowly sashaying over to him. "American"? She inquired.

Sam nodded standing up to pull a chair out for her.

Once she was seated he retook his seat and signaled the bartender to bring him another beer and the lady whatever she was having.

"Such a gentleman" She huskily stated, peaking Sam's interest further.

"You could say that I was properly raised.

"Was being a gentleman something important to your father?"

"Very much so" Sam stated. "He made sure that my brothers and I knew how to treat a lady."

"Hmmm" The mysterious woman replied.

"I beg your pardon?" Sam inquired as the bar tender dropped off the drinks.

Once he had returned to the bar, the woman smiled a set of pearly whites at Sam as she leaned in to him and seductively whispered.

"Your father may have done a fine job with you and your younger brother, but Danny, that's beyond debatable". She teased.

Sam's right hand instinctively slipped to the back of his belt and grabbed the handle of his KAHR 10mm semi-automatic pistol.

"I don't know who you are, or who you think I am" He firmly whispered back, "But it would be wise for you to finish your drink and continue your tour of our local bars".

The woman smiled again and slowly removed her sunglasses so that Sam could see her.

Sam had a phenomenal poker face, one that even his grandfather couldn't read which led to him cleaning up in many a family poker game but for a split second she noticed the recognition in his eyes.

As quickly as his defenses went up they slowly lowered as he replaced his right hand on the table in front of him.

"Jackie" He softly whispered in recognition of his brother's partner.

"Isabella" she corrected with a wink, hoping that he would get the hint.

"Isabellllla" Sam replied, dragging out the letter "L" so that it sounded more Italian than Spanish.

"How about we sit here and finish our drinks, and then you take me to dinner. After that, I have a very nice hotel room waiting for us." She grinned.

"Outstanding" Sam smugly replied.


	16. Chapter 16

Tuesday, June 6, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

8:45 p.m.

"Confirmed". Molina replied to the agent on the other end of her cell phone.

"What's confirmed?" Danny inquired.

"Agent Curtola has made contact with her target. He's a very large bald-headed man" she began, "with eyes that look very much like Jamison's" she said as she displayed a long-range photograph on her cell phone of 'Sam' and Jackie leaving the Kentucky Club Bar that had been taken from across the street by the agent overseeing Jackie.

"Her shoulder bag is on her left arm and he's to her right. That's the signal that he is the right one. Otherwise, she would have either left alone, or had the bag on her right arm, forcing him to her left side".

"Oh my God, it is him!" Erin exclaimed as she grabbed the phone from Molina.

"Let me see" Frank exclaimed.

Jamie finally looked for himself followed by Henry.

"No question, that's him" Jamie stated noticing the expression on his brother's face.

Danny looked next. "I think Joe always had a thing for Jackie. This must be his dream date come true" He smirked.

"I'd have given a month's pay to see the look on his face when she walked in there because if I know my brother…" Erin began.

"Let's show Agent Curtola some respect" Henry admonished. "She's doing this for us".

"Sorry gramps" Erin contritely replied before grinning at her brothers.

"Thank you, Agent Molina" Frank nodded.

"My pleasure Commissioner" She replied.

"For now, our Agents will surveil them both. I should have an update for you sometime tomorrow after Agent Curtola returns to our side of the border". Molina advised.

"Then we can put our part of the plan in motion" Jamie replied.

Frank picked up a bottle of 18-year-old single malt and poured six glasses, handing the first to Molina.

"Happy birthday Son" He toasted.

"Happy birthday Joe" everyone else replied.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017:

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

8:15 p.m.

Joe and Jackie exited the Kentucky Bar and walked two doors north to Martino, a fashionable Mexican restaurant. Neither Joe nor Jackie felt it wise to wander too far from where they had met in case 'Sam' was being watched by his cartel masters. Rarely did beautiful women like Jackie just show up and after only a drink or two, get in a car with a stranger. Such conduct by a woman in Juarez usually led to her never being seen again, at least not alive.

"This place looks like something out of 1950's Vegas" Jackie commented as they entered.

"More like Batista era Cuba" Joe replied.

The waiters all wore white tuxedo jackets with black trimmed shawl collars, and the décor would have made Frank Sinatra proud to dine there.

There was a small stage and a live musical group singing both Mexican and American classics.

Joe and Jackie were seated at a table that while affording them privacy to speak, also gave them a good view of the restaurant's other patrons.

Joe casually looked around to determine if any cartel personnel was present, but so far hadn't noticed any familiar faces. This of course meant nothing as any employee or patron could be an informant or a low-level cartel soldier. Joe's knowledge of its personnel was limited to the top executives who furnished him with his orders and acted as his paymaster.

Both Joe and Jackie were conscious of their surroundings and played their part as a couple out on a date to the hilt. Both knew there was no way they could share or discuss any information out in public, particularly where they had no control over who may overhear them. Joe was convinced that the cartel had ears, both human and electronic, everywhere. It was like being in communist Russia as far as he was concerned.

Jackie knew that they would be expected to drink, so she had been supplied with pills that were a derivative of Iomazenil, an experimental drug awaiting FDA approval designed to block the effects of alcohol intoxication.

She casually slipped one to Joe. She then faked a sneeze and as she covered her mouth, she popped the pill in.

Joe saw Jackie take an identical pill and had a good idea what it was for, so he palmed the pill into his mouth and swallowed.

Their waiter appeared and took their order for drinks and appetizers. This would be a long meal as each course was ordered upon completion of the previous course, which gave the establishment plenty of time to keep the alcohol flowing, hence the Iomazenil.

Both Joe and Jackie had excellent undercover tradecraft skills and they conducted themselves as if it were a real date, her talking about her home in San Antonio, and he about Juarez. He never mentioned anything that could connect him to his background as Sam Phillips because Sam was a deserter wanted by the U.S. Navy, or so his DEA created backstop story provided. At no time was Joe's former life or his biological family discussed.

Around 11:00 being very well fed and watered, they exited Marino and walked in a faux tipsy manner to Jackie's hotel which was only a few blocks away.

Once inside her room though it was all business.

Jackie removed a secondary device from her suitcase and plugged it into her DHS issued smartphone. This turned it into a scanner for electronic surveillance. Though nothing had been detected, Joe wasn't satisfied that the cartel didn't have a way of monitoring him after all, it was a healthy dose of paranoia that had kept him alive since May 15, 2009.

Joe looked over to Jackie. "I don't know about you, but after that spicy meal and the humid air, I could use a shower".

"How about we take one together" She said as she held open a special bag and motioned for Joe to dump his cell phone into it, which she then placed under a pillow.

Joe turned on the shower while Jackie closed the bathroom door.

He leaned back against the edge of the bathroom counter. "What in the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

"I'm asking myself the same question" She admitted.

"Is Linda dead?" He asked.

"Yeah" Jackie said before explaining everything, including the reference to her secret in Danny's original letter.

Joe felt his emotions beginning to overwhelm him but he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself back into the moment.

"So, my cover's blown" Joe posited.

"Only with your siblings, dad, grandfather, and 4 other people which include me, Jamie's girlfriend, Danny's partner, and Molina".

"Jamie's girlfriend?" Joe asked as for the first time his eyes lit up. "As in Janko?"

"Yeah, your father made them choose. Partners as cops or partners for life. They chose the latter" She smiled.

"About time. Had I been there I would have booted his ass into that relationship three years ago. How did dad take finding out about me?" He inquired.

"From what I can tell, all he cares about is that we get you back home to him" She answered.

"Danny must be pissed off, Erin's probably all weepy, and Jamie, who knows, he's like trying to read myself in the mirror" Joe stated.

"You two were always so much alike" She responded. "As for Danny, he needs your help with the boys. He can't do it alone and he knows it."

"How are my niece and nephews?" Joe gently inquired.

"Nicky's a senior at Columbia and the boys have grown so big. They're taking things a day at a time".

"And my grandfather?" He asked.

"Danny calls him an old tank. Same as your father, just wants you home". She answered "Speaking of which" she held out her phone so that he could see the screen as a video began.

Erin's face appeared first: "Happy Birthday little brother. Come home to us soon. I love you."

Danny was next: "Happy 40th kid. Please be safe until you get back here. I love you too."

Joe noticed how much his older brother had aged since he last saw him. If Danny had been damaged goods after his return from Iraq, there was no question that losing Linda was breaking what was left of him. Joe knew right then that they he had to wrap up his mission and get home, if only to keep his brother from losing it for good.

Jamie was next: His big goofy smile lit up the screen: "Happy Birthday big brother. Do what you have to and get back here. I love you most".

Henry was next: "You little shit, Happy Birthday" He grinned, causing Joe to bust up laughing.

Finally, it was Frank's turn: "Happy Birthday son. Please come home to us soon".

Jackie hit the delete button on her phone and the video disappeared.

Joe looked down. His father looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. How could he have done this to him, to his siblings.

"Eight years is enough. I have to get home" Joe said, knowing that he was only a two block walk from the Stanton Street Bridge and the safety of El Paso.

"You can't just bug out or they'll hunt you and your family, which is the reason you disappeared to begin with, and why you did whatever you did to keep Danny and his family from being cooked in his house" Jackie replied.

"Then why are you here, this is about more than birthday wishes and death notices" Joe said.

"It is. We have a strategy to get you home but first, we, meaning your boss and mine, need you to finish what you started here" She stated before outlining the entire plan.

After hearing it, Joe nodded. "What egghead came up with this because for once, it sounds like a plan that will work".

"Jamie" She answered.

Joe laughed. "Figures".

"Since we are supposed to be spending some time here tonight, why don't you hit the shower first" Jackie suggested, which Joe did.

When Jackie came out from her shower, she noticed that Joe had fallen asleep and probably for the first time in a long time, his face wore a peaceful smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Wednesday, June 7, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico

11:00 a.m.

One of the benefits of working for a drug cartel is that you didn't punch a clock so it wasn't out of the ordinary for Sam Phillips to arrive at his office when he did. One of the disadvantages of living in a town like Juarez and being part of a drug cartel is that everybody knew your business five minutes after you did, which is why as Sam walked from the front door of the warehouse building towards his office in the rear, about every male on site either gave him the thumbs up, blew him kisses, or did some form of hip gyration, all of which was directed at his evening with Isabella.

He had no sooner sat behind his desk when the cartel's number 2, Gareldo Espinoza poked his head in. "You have outstanding taste in women señior" The 30-year-old drug runner grinned.

"What I have is a cabeza that feels like it's going to explode" Sam replied.

"A man your age, it could be from many things. Can't handle his liquor, a fine woman is simply too much for you, or face it, you're just getting old" Espinoza jostled.

"And yet no matter which of these is true, I was the one in her bed last night, si?" Sam replied.

That quickly wiped the grin off Espinoza's face. "El Jefe wants to see you and he's not happy".

"When is he ever?" Sam snapped back as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Vamos" Espinoza said as Sam walked out the door behind him.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

5:30 p.m.

"Please come in Agent Curtola" Frank stated.

"Thank you Sir" She replied before following Frank into the den where Erin, Danny, Jamie, and Veronica Molina waited.

"Please, sit". Frank offered which Jackie accepted.

"Are we secure?" She asked.

"We are" Frank answered.

"Okay then. To answer your most important question, yes, he's alive and seems to be physically fine." She informed them to the visible relief of the family.

"Physically?" Erin inquired.

"He is carrying a really deep sense of guilt over what he's put all of you through. He misses everyone and he can't do this much longer. On the other side, he knows that he can't simply cross back into El Paso and walk away from the Cartel, because if they ever figured out who he was, it would put all of you in grave danger, which is the reason he disappeared to begin with" she advised.

"Does he think he's in immediate danger?" Jamie inquired.

"No, though he has more than a healthy sense of paranoia but he said that's what kept him from getting killed and has kept him alive for the past eight years" she replied before turning to Danny.

"He said that the cartel intended to start the house fire while all of you were asleep but when he found out, he asked them if that was the wisest decision because they weren't just killing you, they were killing your wife and sons and would they want to put their own families at risk by doing that. When they asked why he would question this he reminded them that you were the son of the Police Commissioner of the largest police force in the United States, and did they understand the retribution your father and his 35,000 man force would bring down on them if they killed not only his son, but his grandsons. That, they comprehended. In Mexico, their culture is the police and the army are one in the same. Instead, everyone was to be out of the house which was burned both as revenge and to send you a message to stay away in the future from their business or next time, they wouldn't be so benevolent".

"Did you play him our messages?" Danny asked.

Jackie smiled: "Yes, and just that brief connection to all of you gave him the boost he needs to hold on a little longer. He sends his love to everyone but for security we decided not to record or tape anything. Danny, he said to tell you that he can't begin to express his sorrow over Linda's death and what you and the boys must be going through but as soon as he comes home, he'll be there for all of you in any way that he can. Until then, he asks that Erin and Jamie carry his share of the weight. Jamie, he said congratulations on you and Eddie finally doing the right thing because if he had been home he would have pushed you two together three years ago".

"I'll bet" Jamie chuckled.

Molina interrupted: "Now that we've caught up on family matters, where does he stand on our plan?"

"I outlined it and he's ready. He's pretty confident that he can get the cartel's top 3 guys to agree to pick up the cash. Whether or not he's with them, he has a way to get back across the border before all hell breaks loose" Jackie advised. "He also has my number and can send me a coded text if he needs to be extracted. We've already worked out locations"

"If all goes well my son will be home within two weeks" Frank stated.

"He'll have to be debriefed and will likely be held in a safehouse until the trials are completed but you'll all have the chance to spend time with him." Molina replied.

Jamie addressed his father: "The NYPD Legal Counsel should send the DEA formal notice that it's going to keep the full 18 million in confiscated funds. This should get things moving in court". Your DCPI can put out a statement as well. This may force the cartel to act sooner.

Frank nodded: "I'll speak to Garrett. I want you to head down to 1PP and meet with our chief counsel and work with him on this. Agent Molina, if your legal department needs any clarification as to what we are seeking to accomplish, Officer Reagan is at your disposal".

"Thank you, Commissioner," Molina replied before addressing Jamie and handing him a cell phone.

"As requested" She stated.

"Thanks. Is my story backstopped?" He inquired.

"Should be in place by now" Molina replied.

"What backstop?" Danny inquired.

"Meet James C. Ranger, Esq., Attorney At Law, formerly, Lt. James C. Ranger, Office of the Judge Advocate General, United States Navy" Molina answered him.

"Guess you owe me that $10,000" Jamie grinned.

"Nothing doing, besides, you never took the Bar Exam, so what's this about?" Danny asked.

"It's a backup plan. If the cartel doesn't understand what to do, Joe will steer them and to do that, he'll call his old buddy James Ranger for legal advice. I'll answer the questions that I can and then point Joe in the direction of an attorney to represent the cartel who Joe will inform what he needs to do" Jamie replied.

"Smart, very smart" Erin agreed.

"Who's the attorney he's pointing them to?" Danny asked.

"Someone Jack Boyle recommended that he and Erin knew at Fordham" Jamie replied.

"Who?" Erin inquired

"Dominic Forshett" Jamie responded.

Erin burst into a fit of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Danny asked.

"Dominic Forshett" Erin replied trying to catch her breath. "We used to call him Dumb For Shit"

"And this is good?" Danny inquired.

"He was very good on the legal issues but arrogant and as dumb as a rock when it came to street smarts. He's perfect for this. He'll make a good argument, have the case law to support it, and won't realize in a hundred years that he's playing a scripted part that we wrote. In fact, since Jack and I divorced, he's hit on me a few times. I could manage to run into him and see if he brings this up and if so, steer him in the right direction" She answered.

"He has to know that your father is the police commissioner" Jackie stated.

"All the more reason to try to pump me for information, or to get me to push my father into letting his client recover its money. He just won't realize that I'm feeding him the information he needs to do our bidding" Erin replied.

"Is that even ethical"? Jackie asked.

"Marginally" Jamie noted.

"Come on Jack, we're talking lawyers here, since when do they worry about things like ethics" He stated while looking at his siblings.

"You know Reagan, I had almost forgotten just how charming you are" Jackie teased which caused Frank to giggle.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico

9:30 p.m.

Joe sat in a lounger on his rear deck once again looking off to the northeast but unlike the night he had been informed of Linda's death, there was no sorrow at the thought of what he left behind. Now he felt joy at the promise of returning to that great metropolis and his even greater family.

Just a simple Happy Birthday from his siblings, father, and grandfather had given him the renewed energy and purpose to complete his mission, one that had started almost nine years ago.

He'd never forget the date, September 4, 2008. It was the Thursday prior to Labor Day Weekend and he had just helped his younger brother Jamie move back to Cambridge for his middle year of law school.

It was a four-hour drive back from Boston to New York City and with the Labor Day holiday weekend approaching, Joe was in no hurry to jump into the early evening traffic congestion that he knew awaited him.

Jamie had invited him to stick around for dinner and to spend the night but Joe hated long goodbyes, especially those with his best friend and he knew that Jamie's girlfriend Sydney was anxious to have him all to herself so having bid adieu to his younger brother, he hopped in his 1971 Nevada Silver Chevelle and pointed it towards Boston's Back Bay where the finer restaurants were located. Joe intended to have a great seafood meal followed by a slow drive home. He'd get as far as he could and if sleep knocked on his door, he'd find a motel and take a nap. As he was off duty the next day, he was in no hurry to get home as the family house felt empty without his mom and Jamie, especially on Sundays and holidays.

As an NYPD detective, Joe made a fairly handsome living by the standards of those days. Being single, living in a rent controlled building, and having no car payment while performing just about all the maintenance on the Chevelle himself provided him with a sizable sum of discretionary income which he used to indulge his passion for good food. Now that didn't mean that Joe splurged nightly and he knew where to find the best deals and cheap eats in New York City and would have given Edit Janko a run for her money on any bucket list of the top 100 eateries to visit in one's remaining lifetime however, he particularly liked to satiate his doldrums in fine cuisine and saying goodbye to Jamie until Thanksgiving certainly qualified to put a damper on Joe's otherwise cheery personality, and so it was that at 6:20 p.m. that he was bellied up to the bar at The Oceanaire Seafood Room about to savor a plate of marvelous Oysters Casino, when an attractive woman in her early 40's elected to settle herself on the bar stool to his immediate left.

"Those look delicious, if you don't mind" she stated before reaching for one of Joe's oysters.

Joe gently wrapped her on the hand with his fork causing her to recoil the offending appendage. "Those are spoken for" Joe succinctly informed her as he ate the first oyster.

"Well, there are six of them and only one of you" She replied, her voice carrying a mild distinctly southern accent. "By the way, quick reflexes".

"I grew up with three siblings. You learned to either protect your food or you starved" He informed her as he tackled the second one.

"Well, personally, I think you are putting some of that blame where it doesn't belong. I cannot for the life of me envision Erin or Jamison as the type to steal your food. Your brother Daniel on the other hand, well, stepping between him and a buffet spread is as foolish as coming between a horse and its feed bag" She informed Joe.

Joe began coughing as he nearly choked on the oyster he had been in the process of swallowing.

"Here darlin, have some water to wash that down with" She stated while passing him his glass.

Once he had cleared his throat and composed himself, he turned to look at her. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage Miss?"

"How rude of me, my mama taught me better manners. It's Agent, as in Agent Dana Lewis, DEA" She informed Joe.

"Is there a particular reason that you have chosen to grace the bar stool next to mine with your presence?" Joe inquired.

"Oh, you are such a gentleman" She smiled.

Joe gave her a fake smile in return.

"How about you finish your oysters and we go have a seat in a private booth, don't need everyone hearing what we have to talk about". She stated.

"I'm not sure that we have anything to talk about other than whether or not I may buy you a drink?" He stated.

"Oh trust me Detective, we have much to discuss" She stated before she leaned in and whispered. "You've got a big problem in your Warrants Unit and you're going to help me fix it before it becomes a dilemma that has your daddy scurrying around like a one legged man at an ass kicking contest".

Joe, who by now had completely lost his appetite slid her the plate of remaining oysters before paying his check and standing.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, but this is not the way to go about it. You want to speak with me, make an official request. In the meantime, a word of advice" Joe stated while pointing at her footwear.

"What's that?" She asked in that same southern drawl as she looked towards her feet before looking back into Joe's eyes.

"When you get south of the Mason-Dixon line, be sure to burn your boots, they've touched Yankee soil" and with that, Joe headed out of the restaurant and pointed his Chevelle towards New York City.


	18. Chapter 18

Thursday, June 8, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico

1:00 p.m.

At 36 years old, Renaldo Espinoza had lived more of a life than many men twice his age. Unfortunately, the majority of that life was led on the wrong side of both the tracks and the law.

Renaldo Espinoza was many things to different people.

To Gareldo, he was an older brother by six years.

To his employees, he was El Jefe, the Chief.

To the United States and Mexican governments, he was the leader of the Mano Sangriento Drug Cartel, an entity that both governments had sworn to eradicate. They had also classified Espinoza as a psychopath and a cold-blooded murder.

To Sam Phillips, Espinoza was a royal pain in his ass.

Speaking of which, that particular boil on the ass of humanity had just stormed into Sam's office not a minute earlier demanding that Sam turn on his computer and log onto the New York Times website. When Sam did, he found the article that had most certainly caused Espinoza to shit his drawers.

"NYPD TO DEA – YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE" read the caption.

Sam continued to read the article which referenced the 18 million in drug money confiscated by the NYPD on May 5, 2017, and that since the DEA had expressly declined to participate in the seizure, the NYPD had had formally served notice that it would not be sharing spoils as was customary under the Adoptive Forfeiture Act.

Completing the article, Sam looked up to see that Espinoza still fuming.

"That's my money, mine!" He screamed like a schoolboy whose toy had been taken away. "I knew we should have killed that damned cop and his family, but no, I let you talk me out of it".

Sam wanted to reach across his desk and grab the little punk by the throat for threatening his family like that but his impassive poker face remained in place and his calm demeanor showed no sign that Espinoza's remark had hit too close to home. Instead, he calmly replied:

"After which his father and half of the New York City Police Department, the Texas Rangers, the DEA, FBI, CIA, DHS, ICE, and at least 10 other U.S. alphabet agencies, along with the Mexican army, the Chihuahua state police, the United States Navy Seals and who knows what other governmental departments and military units, would have been all over you like stink on shit" Sam stated.

Normally Espinoza was not a man to be spoken to this way, it signified weakness and if it were a Mexican saying this to him, he would have him killed, but Phillips was a Gringo and had been loyal and honest the entire time he had worked for the cartel and he always provided Espinoza with an honest and realistic view of his actions and what consequences they may bring, besides being a first-rate logistics man.

Phillips lived in a nice but spartan house, drove an old classic Chevy El Camino which he liked to work on himself, wore nice clothes but nothing overly expensive, never asked for special favors or complained of needing more money like most of his men. The only issue that either Espinoza or his brother Gareldo had with Phillips was that physically, he was everything they were not.

The Espinoza brothers were short, overweight, balding, coarse, had pocked mark skin, high pitched voices, and worst of all, crooked discolored teeth. With Gareldo it was even worse. He had a goiter issue which gave him a pair of bulging eyes in addition to being near sighted which required him to wear thick round lenses set into black heavy plastic frames. The combined effect made him look like a cross between Buddy Holly and a toad.

The end result for both brothers was that women were repulsed by them so in order to get laid, they had to pay for sex, either with cash or product and if that didn't work, it was not above either brother to coerce or beat the object of his desire until she submitted and put out.

By marked contrast, Sam Phillips was handsome, exceptionally tall, well built, soft spoken, and had flashing hazel eyes and straight white teeth and never had trouble getting the attention of the most beautiful women, either locals or those who came to Juarez from El Paso or other parts of the U.S. or Mexico. It seemed that most of his money was spent wining and dining, beautiful women who willingly went to bed with him and for that, Sam Phillips had earned Espinoza's respect for his machismo, along with his jealous ire because Sam was everything Renaldo was not and Espinoza was smart enough to know that no amount of money, power, drugs, fear, or terror could ever change that.

"So what do we do?" Espinoza asked.

"This article mentions something called the Adoptive Forfeiture Act. Let me study how this works. Then I'll come see you and explain it all". Sam replied.

"Bueno" Espinoza said as he stormed out of Sam's office.

"Bastardo" Sam whispered under his breath.

Thirty minutes later he knocked on Espinoza's door and entered. He explained what the article said and concluded with "my advice is that you retain an attorney in New York City to contest the legality of the seizure" before he began explaining about 4th Amendment rights and Danny's warrantless search and seizure.

"I don't have anyone in New York, what about you, you're the Gringo" Espinoza replied.

Sam fixed him with a stare.

"Lo siento, sorry" Espinoza apologized knowing that he had gone too far as Sam was not one who responded to such treatment.

"Back when I was in the Navy, I got into a few scrapes. I can call the JAG lawyer who represented me and see if he can do it or if he knows someone who can" Sam stated.

Espinoza held his hand out towards the customer's chair on the opposite side of his desk. "Call now" He ordered.

"I figured you'd say that so I already looked up the number" Sam said as he pulled out a piece of paper and put on his reading glasses, causing Espinoza to laugh.

Sam just looked at him until Espinoza got it out of his system. "Mr. big, tall, strong, and handsome has to wear reading glasses?"

"It's called getting old Renaldo. Maybe you'll actually live long enough to find out what that's like" Sam sparred back.

Espinoza responded with a scowl.

Sam picked up his phone and dialed the number which was answered after three rings.

"Judge Advocate General of the Navy" the receptionist answered.

"Lieutenant Ranger please" Sam requested.

"Lieutenant Commander Ranger is no longer on active duty" She replied after waiting a minute to give the appearance that she was checking records.

"Would you happen to have his civilian office number?" Sam inquired.

"Please hold" the receptionist, actually a DEA Agent, replied.

"Lieutenant Commander Ranger may be reached at the following number: 857-505-9995" She concluded.

Sam thanked her and disconnected before immediately dialing the new number.

"Law Offices of James C. Ranger" the receptionist answered with an eastern accent. Sam smiled inwardly as one had to love the how the feds conducted an operation.

"Mr. Ranger please" Sam requested.

"May I tell him who is calling?" She asked

"A former client from his navy days". Sam answered.

A minute later, Sam's earpiece spoke. "This is Jim Ranger, how may I help you?" Sam heard his brother say.

"Lieutenant, or should I say, Lieutenant Commander Ranger, Sir?" Sam stated.

Jamie's heart began to beat faster. This was the first time in over 8 years he had heard his older brother's voice and how he wished they could have a normal conversation and he could tell him how much he missed him and loved him, but this wasn't the time so he quickly composed himself and got back into character.

"It's plain old Jim Ranger now, I'm retired from the navy, who's this?" Jamie inquired.

"Sir, it's Senior Chief Samuel McClusky Phillips. You once represented me Sir". Sam announced.

Jamie counted off two seconds. "Sam Phillips, as in the E-8 who deserted back in 2009?" Ranger asked.

"Yes Sir, that's me" Sam replied.

"You do realize that you were convicted in absentia of deserting your post and remain a wanted fugitive" Jamie apprised Sam.

"I understand that Sir". Sam replied.

"Therefore, I must advise you Senior Chief that I am both legally and ethically required to report this contact to the navy". Jamie advised just for the effect of it.

"I understand Sir however, right now my employer is seeking to retain the services of a lawyer to represent his enterprise in a legal proceeding in New York City". Sam informed him.

Jamie looked at the codewords. Enterprise meant that Joe was safe. If he had said Company, it would have been an alert that Joe was under duress but thought he could handle it. If he had said "Business", it would have signaled that it was time for him to bug out. The use of the word "Interests" was the flare to send in the Marines and Navy Seals and to get him the hell out of there pronto.

"First of all Senior Chief, I can't represent you or your employer because it's a conflict of interest having once represented you, particularly if you remain a fugitive. Secondly, I'm in Boston, haven't been to New York City in years plus, I have no support staff or connections there." Jamie responded.

"Well then Sir, maybe you can refer me to someone who can help my employer" Sam inquired.

"What type of a case is it?" Jamie asked.

"Sir, if you go to your computer and look at the front page of the New York Times, I'm sure you'll figure it out" Sam replied.

Jamie made a few key strokes to fake the sound of looking up the article which he knew very well, before replying: Hold on a minute, be right back.

Sam waited for about 90 seconds until Jamie came back on the line.

"I made a call and have a name for you. He specializes in representing clients with such concerns. His name is Dominic Forshett and his number is 212-487-9099. I've never met him, but a colleague of mine knows him from Fordham and highly recommends him.

"Thank you Sir. I understand that you'll have to report my call and I respect that, as I do you for doing your job. Best of luck in the civilian world Sir" Sam stated before he disconnected.

Sam looked over at Espinoza who was leaning back in his desk chair with his chin steepled between his fingers. He hadn't survived 17 years in the Mexican drug cartels without having a keen sense of suspicion let alone paranoia. He had listened intently to both calls Sam had made and they sounded genuine to him, down to his continued use of military courtesy. Of course, he could log onto his computer and see if the names he just heard were real but again, Sam was always genuine and from all the information Espinoza had on him, the things he said about his days in the navy, and what this Jim Ranger said back jived with what he knew.

In the end, Sam was a man without a home or a purpose until Mano Sangriento gave him both and like any grateful orphan, Sam was now acting to protect his foster family as if it were his own which is why Espinoza finally looked over at Sam and nodded. "Call him".

Meanwhile, 3,500 miles to the north-east Jamie disconnected from his end of the conversation and then removed the battery to insure that the cell phone could not be remotely activated to listen in on the upcoming conversation.

He handed the device back to Agent Molina who placed it in a secure bag and sealed it.

"Well done Officer Reagan" Molina complimented Jamie.

"Thanks, let's just hope that I was persuasive enough. Sounded like Joe was on speaker phone which means that his boss must have been listening in" Jamie stated.

"Of that I have no doubt" Molina replied.

"So now we wait". Danny said.

"No, now the DEA puts on its part of the play and sues the NYPD in Federal Court. It may take a day for Joe to make contact with Forshett, but once the lawsuit hits the internet, you can bet that someone is going to file an appearance on the cartel's behalf". Erin replied.

"And then that's when the shit hits the fan" Jackie grinned.


	19. Chapter 19

Monday, September 14, 2008:

Holy Cross Cemetery

Brooklyn, NY

7:09 a.m.

Joe Reagan found this to be the most difficult day of the year.

He knelt down in front of the cold stone and placed his hand on the earth before it.

"Hi Mom" Joe softly stated in greeting.

It was the third anniversary of his mother's death and of the four children, Joe seemed to take her loss the hardest.

"Maybe it's because Danny's always been so much like grandpa, while Erin is definitely her father's daughter, and Jamie, he has more of dad in him than he knows, where I was always the closest to you". He thought to himself.

Joe laid the flowers he brought at the foot of the headstone and stood up aware that someone was approaching him. He knew the light footsteps that he heard were not his father's or Danny's and at this hour, Erin was still busy getting Nicky ready for school which left Jamie who was in Boston.

He turned around to find Agent Dana Lewis standing off to his side.

Joe was furious. "How dare you approach me here, especially on today of all days".

Agent Lewis ignored Joe as she walked over and knelt in front of Mary Reagan's headstone.

"You must be a proud mother having raised such fine children, especially this one. Normally he has such impeccable manners and I understand if he's a little tiffed at me showing up here unannounced and all, especially on today but I really need his help and I know that if you could, you'd tell him to do all he could to not only help me, but to help his daddy, because that's who is going to wind up with the most egg on his face if we don't stop what's going on". She concluded before standing up and turning to face Joe.

She handed him a slip of paper with an address on it. "Out in Queens. Be there in 2 hours and ditch the Chevelle, it stands out like a fox in a chicken coup, might as well yell out that Joe Reagan is here" She stated before walking off, leaving Joe just shaking his head.

He turned to face his mother's grave when he heard her voice. "Protect your father, protect the family".

"I will Mom" Joe replied.

He hopped in the Chevelle and headed over to 2nd Ave and 29th Street in southwest Brooklyn, site of the NYPD's Gowanus Auto Pound.

In New York, there were two distinctly separate classifications relating to impounded vehicles. Those that were impounded for expired meter violations, unpaid tickets, blocking a driveway or a fire hydrant, or expired license plates were taken to a Tow Pound. Once the owner paid the tickets or fines, the vehicle was released back to that person. The second classification was the Auto Pound which held vehicles that were seized by law enforcement as spoils from illegal acts, and were thereby considered forfeited by their owners. These vehicles would be either be reassigned to the NYPD as undercover cars or most likely, sold at auction and the proceeds of the sale treated in the same manner as the 100 Million Dollars Danny had seized from Mano Sangrieto. Cars held in a tow pound were off limits to detectives looking to borrow a ride however the auto pounds provided a rich environment for temporary undercover cars because they were now state property until they were sold or reassigned.

Joe pulled into the Gowanus Auto Pound and parked behind the main building. He got out of the Chevelle and walked into the office.

There are two types of cops who serve their time on the force working a property impound lot. The first are your screw ups who in lieu of being fired, have their careers capped by guarding seized property. This is what they will do until they day they retire or die on the job, whichever comes first. The second are those too old or medically infirmed to be on the street, but not so far gone that they are forcibly retired.

NYPD Sergeant Andy Jablonski was the latter, having put in over 22 of his 29 years on the force as either a patrolman or a detective. Three years ago, he had failed his physical exam for a variety of reasons, but still did not qualify to be forcibly retired. Jablonski wanted to put in his 30 years before he pensioned out so, he was given a choice. Gowanus, or permanent desk duty at the 120th in Staten Island. Being a native of Brooklyn he eagerly accepted Gowanus which is why Joe Reagan found him behind the command desk that morning.

Joe had known Andy for the past three years as he was always borrowing cars for undercover work. Andy liked to joke that the Gowanus Pound was Joe's version of Jay Leno's Garage because of the many high end or classic cars impounded there that Joe would pull out from time to time.

This is why Andy was shocked when Joe told him that he needed something basic and drab so as not to be noticed.

"I have a four-year-old Lincoln that just came in" Andy informed him.

"Too flashy" Joe replied while looking out the window.

"How about a 2002 Prius?" Andy asked.

"Wouldn't be caught dead in it" Joe replied before settling his eyes on a tan Pontiac sitting a row over, which he drew Jablonski's attention to.

"1999 Grand Am, nice shape" Andy remarked.

"I need her for a couple of hours" Joe informed Andy.

Andy reached for his portable. "Desk to Sanchez"

"Sanchez, go" Came the reply.

"Plate and gas up #227554, the tan 99 Grand Am, location Row 9, Space 34. I need it ready to roll in 10 min, and be sure those are U/C plates". Andy informed his subordinate.

"Thanks Andy" Joe smiled.

"Leave the keys to the Chevelle in case I have to move it" Andy smiled back.

"Okay, but only if you have to move it" Joe replied.

"If you ain't back with my car by lunch, I'm taking your baby with me" He grinned at Joe.

"You dent her you fix her" Joe informed Andy as he tossed his keys to the Chevelle before heading outside to wait for the Grand Am.

Thirty minutes later Joe pulled up to the address on Rockaway Boulevard and 84th Street in Queens. It was an auto repair shop and while in his opinion the Chevelle would have fit right in, he could understand why Agent Lewis didn't want him identified with her at this time because it sure sounded as if she was investigating dirty NYPD cops.

Joe entered the shop to find Agent Lewis and an unidentified male dressed in casual clothes.

Lewis began with the introductions. "Detective Joseph Reagan, meet Agent Roland Barnwell".

Both men nodded at one another.

"Barnwell works with me at DEA" Lewis advised.

Joe looked at his watch. "You have my attention for the next 30 minutes. After that, I have to return to retrieve my car before a large hungry sergeant appropriates it for his lunchroom".

"This is strictly compartmentalized information and is not to leave here" Lewis informed him.

"Agent Lewis, I know nothing about you other than you are DEA so I am not about to make you a single promise or agree to a single condition or term at this time. I'm present only to listen to what you have to say. If that isn't good enough, I'm happy to walk out the same door I came in through, return to my precinct, and file a contact report with my commanding officer, the Chief of Detectives, and the Police Commissioner" Joe adamantly stated.

"I guess we'll just have to trust you" Barnwell piped up.

"Trust works in both directions. You need my help, I have to trust that what you are telling me is accurate" Joe replied.

Lewis looked at Barnwell and nodded for him to continue.

"We have credible intel that members of the NYPD are performing unsanctioned raids on gangs operating within the NYPD's jurisdiction, confiscating their weapons, drugs, and cash, and then extorting the gang members to remain silent about the raid, or alternatively, killing those who put up a resistance or are believed to remain a threat" Barnwell presented.

"What evidence do you have to support these allegations and if you believe they are true then why not address this with the Police Commissioner, or at the very least, the Chief of the Department instead of a lowly detective because if you're looking for a pipeline to my father, I don't work that way and neither does my brother".

"Your brother has nothing to do with this and the reason we've made contact with you is because our intel provides that the majority of those responsible for these acts work with you" Lewis replied.

"What do you mean, who work with me? Joe incredulously asked.

"They work out of the Warrant Squad of which you are the senior detective". Barnwell replied.

"You think that I'm a part of whatever cockamamie thing you think is going on?" Joe inquired.

"No, we are positive you aren't and much of this activity is carefully scheduled to occur either when you are not on duty or when you are on a different shift from those involved". Lewis answered.

"So who do you make for the ring leader and what do you want me to do about? Joe asked.

"To answer your first question, your partner, Sonny Malevsky" Barnwell answered to Joe's complete astonishment.

"And to answer the second" Lewis stated as she checked her watch. "It's probably best if you sit down because that large Sergeant will definitely be enjoying his new lunchroom today" Lewis answered.

Friday, June 9, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico

3:00 p.m.

Sam was absentmindedly thinking about how he had become involved in the Blue Templar and subsequently, Mano Sangrieto, when Gareldo Espinoza exploded into his office.

"Quick, log onto CNN" He ordered Sam.

"We're here in downtown Manhattan in front of the United States Courthouse for the Southern District of New York, where the United States Drug Enforcement Agency has filed suit against the New York City Police Department over the 18 million dollars in drug cartel cash seized by NYPD Detective Daniel Reagan on May 5, 2017. Two days ago the NYPD served notice on the DEA that it was not going to share any of that money with the Federal government under what is known as the Adoptive Forfeiture Act because the DEA had expressly waived participating in the seizure of those funds. In a surprising development, an attorney for the lawful owner of the money, a Mr. Samuel Phillips, who is believed to be a member of the Mano Sangrieto Cartel, has filed an appearance and a third party motion for the confiscated cash to be returned to Mr. Phillips as Detective Reagan's actions were both unsanctioned by the NYPD at the time he acted under color of authority, and, acted to violate his client's 4th Amendment rights against unlawful searches and seizures as Detective Reagan actions were without conducted absent a lawfully issued warrant".

Sam clicked off the volume as he continued to let the visual portion of the newscast stream, if only so he could see the sights of his beloved home town.

"El Jefe is pissed" Gareldo stated.

"This is what he wanted, a contest over who legally owns the money" Joe replied.

"Yeah, but they're saying it's your money, not his". Gareldo responded.

"Sure Gareldo, how about we issue our own press release. From Juarez Mexico, Gareldo Espinoza reporting. You can tell the world that the cash belongs to your big brother Renaldo Espinoza, El Jefe of the Mano Sangrieto Drug Cartel, and one of the most detested human beings in the western hemisphere. I'm sure that will get him a lot of support with the federal judge hearing the case" Sam replied as he got up from behind his desk in order to go educate Renaldo as to what was transpiring.

"Madre de Dios" Sam exasperatedly exclaimed as he stormed out of his office. "Sometimes I feel like I'm running a day care".

"Sam" Gareldo whined as he pumped his short legs to catch up to the long legged 6'4" Gringo.

"What?" Sam angrily retorted as he turned to head into Renaldo's office.

"Que es 'day care'?" Gareldo innocently inquired.


	20. Chapter 20

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

U.S. District Court For the Southern District of New York

Thurgood Marshall Courthouse

40 Foley Square

Manhattan, NY

8:48 a.m.

"All rise" the Bailiff ordered before stating: "This Court is now in session, the Honorable Horace Denning, presiding".

"Be seated" Judge Denning groused as he assumed his chair behind the bench.

"Call the case" He directed his clerk.

Case No: 17-198849, United States Drug Enforcement Agency v New York City Police Department and Case No. 17-198861, Samuel M. Phillips v The New York City Police Department, New York City Commissioner of Police Francis X. Reagan, New York City Police Detective Daniel F. Reagan, and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.

The judge looked out at the attorneys. "Based on the pleadings, it would appear as if all three parties are fighting over the same piece of pie so for purposes of judicial economy, I have ordered the cases consolidated. Will the attorneys please place their appearances on the record.

"Mark Saperstein, representing the United States Drug Enforcement Agency your Honor".

"Jack McCoy, representing the New York City Police Department and Police Commissioner Francis Reagan, your Honor".

"Mr. McCoy, this is quite the surprise" the Judge stated to the former New York County District Attorney.

McCoy smiled but said nothing.

"Jack Boyle, representing NYPD Detective Daniel Reagan your Honor".

"Dominic Forshett, representing Samuel Phillips your Honor".

"Excellent, we made it through the introductions with no objections or bickering" The Judge teased before continuing.

"I have read the briefs submitted under the expedited proceedings motion stipulated to by all parties. The substance of this matter boils down to one question of law which is: By the seizure of the disputed 18 million dollars, was there a violation of Mr. Peña's' 4th Amendment rights as set forth within the United States Constitution. To answer that question, we will be taking the testimony of the parties involved which as I see it, are" He stated while looking down at the witness list, "DEA Agent Veronica Molina, NYPD Detectives Daniel Reagan and Maria Baez, and New York County Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan" He concluded before looking back up. "I haven't seen this many Reagans since Ron's presidency" He joked. "Is it correct that Mr. Peña is not present for these proceedings?" He inquired.

McCoy stood: "That is correct your honor, it appears that Mr. Peña has disappeared and his current whereabouts are unknown. Counsel have all stipulated that any relevant testimony that he may have provided would duplicate such testimony to be given by Agent Molina, Detective Baez, and Detective Reagan".

"Then we shall proceed without him" the Judge noted.

Mark Saperstein stood "Your honor" he began.

"Already ahead of you Mr. Saperstein. Due to the classified nature of the witnesses' testimony, as well as the confidential nature of their identities, testimony in this proceeding will be taken in closed session, any objections?"

"No your honor" the four attorneys chorused.

"Outstanding, then let's schedule our first witness for 10:15 a.m. as the Court presently has other business on its docket to attend to. We'll take the testimony of three witnesses before lunch and one after. I'm not allowing this to turn into a circus, so I'm limiting each counsel to 15 minutes with each witness. Make your questions count". He stated as he got up from his chair.

"All Rise" The bailiff once again ordered but before everyone could stand, the Judge was out the court room's back door and enroute to his chambers.

"This guy doesn't waste time" Forshett commented to Jack Boyle.

"He's the most efficient judge you will ever come across. Teaches procedure at Columbia two nights a week. I've always found him to be a cross between Judge Fenton in the movie 'Hang Em High', and Professor Kingsfield in 'The Paper Chase'" Even looks and sounds like Pat Hingle, the actor who played Fenton" Boyle noted.

"So tell me, you and Erin?" Forshett inquired.

"Divorced nine years now but we have a wonderful daughter who is in her senior year at Columbia" Jack proudly smiled.

"Never got married myself. Would it be a violation of the bro code if I were to ask her out, Erin that is, not your daughter" he blushed "assuming of course that she isn't seeing anyone?" Forshett fumbled.

"I make it a point never to speak for Erin" Boyle replied knowing there was no way in hell she would ever go out with Dumb For Shit, even if she and Jack hadn't resumed their relationship.

McCoy walked over with Saperstein. "If you two have finished discussing Ms. Reagan's social calendar, then perhaps we can conference as to what order the witnesses will be called and in what order we will examine them".

Boyle looked over to Forshett. "Imagine if Jack here ever got on the bench, he'd probably best Denning's efficiency by 20 percent."

"25" McCoy replied with a curt nod.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

United States Courthouse

For the Southern District of New York

Manhattan, NY

10:15 a.m.

"Please state your name for the record" McCoy stated:

It had been determined that he would lead off on this particular witness, followed by Forshett, Saperstein and Boyle. This gave Jack Boyle the final chance to steer the case in the direction the Reagans and Molina wanted it to go.

"Maria Elena Baez" She answered.

"And your current rank and occupation?" McCoy asked.

"Detective Second Grade, New York City Police Department".

"Did you have the same rank and employer on the night of May third, 2017?" McCoy inquired.

"Yes I did". Maria answered.

"And your assignment at that time?" He asked.

"The Major Case Squad" She replied.

"And your partner that night?" He asked.

"Detective First Grade Daniel Reagan" She answered.

"Is this the same Detective Daniel Reagan who is a defendant in this lawsuit?" McCoy asked.

"Yes, it is" She replied.

"On the night of May third, 2017, did you and Detective Reagan approach Mr. Jose Peña on his boat?" McCoy asked.

"Yes, we did" She answered.

"Where was this boat located?" McCoy queried.

"The West Side Marina located at the foot of W. 79th Street in Manhattan" She replied.

"Did there come a time when you and Detective Reagan boarded Mr. Peña's boat?" McCoy asked.

"Yes, there was" Maria replied

"Did Mr. Peña deny either you or Detective Reagan permission to Board" McCoy inquired.

"Mr. Peña did not expressly state that we could not board his boat". She replied.

"Thank you Detective, no further questions". McCoy concluded."

"Mr. Forshett?" The judge stated as an invitation for Forshett to commence his cross examination of Maria.

"Detective Baez, were you and Detective Reagan on official duty at the time you both boarded Mr. Peña's boat? He inquired.

"Yes we were" She answered.

"What was the NYPD's business with Mr. Peña that brought you to the West Side Marina on the night of May fifth, 2017" He asked.

"Detective Reagan and I believed that Mr. Peña's boat held the cash proceeds from his sale of 100 pounds of heroin that we had located and seized the previous evening".

"Define "we" if you would" Forshett requested.

"Myself, Detective Reagan, members of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, and a team from the DEA led by Agent Veronica Molina". Baez answered.

"Detective Baez, you testified that at the time that you and Detective Reagan boarded Mr. Peña's boat, that he did not expressly forbid you from boarding".

"Objection, asked and answered" McCoy stated.

"Laying a foundation your honor" Forshett replied.

"Overruled, continue" The Judge stated.

"Did Mr. Peña make a statement that would lead you to imply that he did not grant his permission for you and Detective Reagan to board" He inquired

"Objection, speculative". McCoy objected.

"Overruled" the Judge stated.

"Mr. Peña asked if we had a search warrant" She answered.

"Did either you or Detective Reagan have a search warrant in your possession at the time Mr. Peña so inquired?" Forshett asked.

"No, we did not" She replied.

"Did either you or Detective Reagan have a search warrant in your possession at the time you boarded Mr. Peña's boat?" Forshett asked.

"No, we did not" Maria answered.

"Detective Baez, did either you or Detective Reagan make any statement that caused Mr. Peña to believe that absent a search warrant, you and Detective Reagan had the lawful right to board and search his boat?" Forshette inquired.

"Detective Reagan stated to Mr. Peña that he had contacted the Coast Guard who advised him that Mr. Peña failed to submit a cargo & crew list on his way to New York City from Florida and that this was an oversight that allowed us to board his boat" She replied.

"Detective Baez, on May third, 2017, were you a member of the United States Coast Guard?" Forshett inquired.

"No, I was not" She replied.

"On that date, were you a Member of the United States Coast Guard Reserve?" He asked.

"No, I was not" She answered.

"On or about May third, 2017, did you have personal contact with the United States Coast Guard regarding Mr. Peña's boat?" He queried.

"No I did not".

"At the time you and Detective Reagan boarded Mr. Peña's boat, were there other officers or agents present?"

"There were 8 police officers assigned to the NYPD's Emergency Services Unit". She replied.

"Were there any agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency present" He inquired.

"Not that I saw or had contact with".

"If the Court will indulge me and in the interest of brevity, would you please explain in your own words what happened once you and Detective Reagan boarded Mr. Peña's boat.

"Any objections" The judge asked.

"No your honor" came the reply of the three other attorneys.

"Please proceed Detective" He instructed Maria.

"Detective Reagan boarded first with me behind him. He searched Mr. Peña's person and the person of a Latino male on board the boat for weapons. Then he went below and began searching for the cash while I stood watch over Mr. Peña and the other male. After a minute or two, Detective Reagan yelled out "bingo", that he had found the cash in a cargo hold in the floor of the boat. At that time I radioed Emergency Services to move in which they did. Detective Reagan then instructed them where the cash was and ordered ESU to secure it". She concluded.

"After this occurred, did Mr. Peña make any further statements?" Forshett asked.

"He stated that it was an illegal search and that we could not charge him". She replied.

"Did you or Detective Reagan place Mr. Peña under arrest or charge him with any criminal act?" He inquired.

"No, we did not". She replied.

"Detective, do you have personal knowledge that the 18 million dollars in seized cash came from the sale of the drugs confiscated the previous night?"

"No, I do not".

"Do you have any evidence that the cash seized on Mr. Peña's boat were proceeds of any illegal act whatsoever" He inquired.

"No, I do not". She replied.

"Do you have any evidence that the subject 18 million dollars in cash belonged to Mr. Peña, as opposed to Mr. Samuel Phillips" He asked.

"It was in the cargo hold of Mr. Peña's boat". She replied.

"Did you perform an investigation to determine the registered owner of this boat?" Forshett inquired.

"No, we did not".

"Then what evidence did you have on the night of May third, 2017, that the 18 million dollars you and Detective Reagan confiscated, and the boat that these funds were confiscated from, were the property of Jose Peña as opposed to my client, Samuel Phillips?"

"None" She answered.

"Thank you for your honesty Detective. I'm finished" Forshett informed the Court.

"Mr. Saperstein?"

"No questions at this time your Honor" He replied.

"Mr. Boyle?"

"No questions at this time, however I reserve the right to recall this witness at a later time" Boyle answered.

"Very well, Detective Baez, thank you for your testimony. You are excused however you are subject to recall so please remain available". The Judge informed her.

"I will your Honor, thank you" She replied as she exited the witness box.

"Who's up next?" The Judge inquired.

Jack Boyle stood. "Your honor, I would like to call Agent Veronica Molina of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency".

"Agent Molina, please come up" The Judge stated.

After being sworn in, Molina faced Jack Boyle.

"Agent Molina, isn't it true that you were the agent of the Federal government in charge of the raid that seized a substantial amount of heroin on the night of May second, 2017" Boyle asked.

"It is" She replied.

"What drugs were seized at this raid" Boyle inquired.

"Heroin" She answered.

"Were any tests run on this heroin subsequent to its seizure on May second" Boyle asked.

"Yes, it was tested by the DEA at its laboratory here in New York City" She replied.

"Please tell us the particulars" Boyle requested.

"We seized 100 pounds of pure heroin, the street value of which is 65 million dollars" She answered.

"Was the seizure of this heroin conducted pursuant to a warrant" Boyle inquired.

"Yes, it was conducted pursuant to a federal warrant that I had applied for with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York" Molina replied.

"At the time that the seizure of this heroin took place, did you observe the exchange of any cash by one or more of the parties" Boyle inquired.

"I did not" Molina answered.

"Did you come to form a belief as to who was paid for the heroin" Boyle asked.

"I believed that as the top member of the Mano Sangrieto Drug Cartel located in New York City, that Jose Peña delivered, or provided for the delivery of, the heroin, and received payment for it" She replied.

"Objection, assumes facts not evidence" Forshett objected.

"Broaden the scope of your objection" The judge directed Forshett.

"There is no evidentiary foundation that Mr. Pena either delivered or was paid for the heroin" Forshett responded.

"Objection sustained" The judge ruled.

"No further questions your Honor, though again, we reserve the right to recall" Boyle concluded.

"Mr. McCoy" The judge stated.

"Agent Molina, at any time herein did you seek the assistance of Detective Reagan or Detective Baez in locating or retrieving the subject 18 million dollars" He queried.

"I did not" Molina answered, and though her answer was honest, it was just this side of perjury as she did provide Danny with the location of the boat.

"Is it not the policy and practice of the DEA to seize not only drugs, but the spoils of those sales transactions, including cash used to pay for the merchandise" McCoy asked.

"In most circumstances, but not all" She responded.

"And in the instant circumstance" McCoy inquired.

"No, we did not seek to locate or seize the proceeds of that specific transaction" Molina replied.

"Please tell the Court as to why the DEA made no attempt to locate or seize the subject 18 million dollars" McCoy asked.

"Because, I had flipped Mr. Peña into becoming a confidential informant on Mano Sangrieto's operations and personnel in New York City". She replied.

"Mr. Peña was going to inform you and the DEA as to when future shipments were coming in to New York City" McCoy stated.

"And other cities the cartel had operations in, and it was determined by myself and my superiors at the DEA, that if the cash were confiscated, Mr. Peña would fall out of favor with the cartel and likely be executed for losing its money" She answered.

"So Mr. Peña received both a walk, and got to keep the 18 million dollars based on the DEA's faith that he would provide future worthwhile information that would be beneficial to the DEA's war on drugs" McCoy asked.

"That succinctly sums it up" Molina replied.

"It's good to know that drug runners can continue to operate unfettered in New York City with the Federal Government's blessing, based on nothing more than an Agent's blind faith" McCoy stated.

"Mr. McCoy, you are no longer the New York County District Attorney nor are you a prosecutor in these proceedings so please reserve your speeches for another time, venue, and audience" The judge admonished.

"Yes your Honor" an unrepentant McCoy replied as he sat down.

"Mr. Saperstein"? The judge inquired.

"Agent Molina, did you at any time advise Detective Reagan or Detective Baez that the DEA would not be seeking to seize the cash proceeds of the subject drug sale" Saperstein inquired.

"Yes, I expressly informed Detective Reagan that we had flipped Mr. Peña and that to seize the cash would insure that he would lose any value to us as a confidential informant" She replied.

"Did Detective Reagan respond to your notice that the DEA would not be pursuing the cash" Saperstein asked.

"Objection, hearsay" Boyle announced.

"This qualifies as an exception to the hearsay rule your Honor" Saperstein responded.

"I'll allow it. When Detective Reagan testifies, you can ask him as to the accuracy and veracity of Agent Molina's testimony. Sustained. You may answer Agent" The Judge stated.

"Detective Reagan stated that the Feds were trading the safety of the city for a future score that they may never pull off" She replied.

"At any time subsequent the seizure of the drugs, did Detective Reagan file a formal request with the DEA to permit the NYPD to pursue seizure of the cash proceeds in this matter". Saperstein inquired.

"Not to my personal knowledge" She answered.

"At any time subsequent the seizure of the drugs, did Detective Reagan file formal notice with the DEA that the NYPD would act to seize the cash proceeds in this matter". Saperstein inquired.

"Not to my personal knowledge" She answered.

"No further questions your Honor" Saperstein stated.

"Redirect your Honor" Boyle requested.

"Keep it brief Mr. Boyle" The Judge instructed.

"Agent Molina, are you familiar with the Adoptive Forfeiture Act" Boyle inquired.

"I am" She replied.

"Under such Act, of the 18 million dollars seized by the NYPD, what amount would the DEA expect to receive as its cut?" Boyle asked, carefully phrasing his question to have a mob style connotation.

"Three point six million dollars". She replied.

"That's twenty percent of the total sum" Boyle noted.

"Twenty Percent is the customary percentage of the forfeiture value the federal government receives in a joint operation with local law enforcement".

And the NYPD receives the remaining eighty percent?" Boyle inquired.

"Correct".

"Do the Detectives who executed the seizure receive any portion of the funds?" Boyle asked.

"To my knowledge, the answer is no, but you'll have to ask the NYPD or Detectives Reagan and Baez because I am not privy to NYPD guidelines or policies on such matters". She answered.

"Agent Molina, if as you have testified here today, the DEA had no interest in seizing the proceeds of the drug sale, and had expressly waived on any action to seize such proceeds, then why has it filed the instant action against the NYPD to enforce it's claim under the Adopted Forfeiture Act" Boyle point blankly asked.

"Detective Reagan's seizure of the cash compromised our confidential informant. As that relationship has no future use or benefit to the DEA, we want our percentage as allocated by the Act" She replied.

"Speaking of which, subsequent to turning Mr. Peña into a confidential informant, did the DEA maintain any type of surveillance on him to insure either his safety, or that he didn't cut and run on his agreement with the agency?" Boyle inquired.

"There was no surveillance of Mr. Peña because it was understood that he had planned to sail his boat back to Mexico to deliver Mano Sangrieto the cash he realized from the sale of its narcotics" She replied.

"Do you personally have any idea as to Mr. Peña's current whereabouts? Boyle asked.

"I do not. After Detective Reagan and the NYPD removed the cash from Mr. Pena's boat, he was apparently free to leave. I would say that as he knew how the cartel handled such problems, he decided that he was more afraid of Mano Sangrieto than he was of us, and that it was in his best interest to disappear".

"So to summarize your testimony here today, since you allege that Detective Reagan and the NYPD cost you the grand prize in Mr. Peña and the information that he purported to provide to you, that the DEA now wants the consolation prize which is the 3.6 million dollars the agency is suing for". Boyle sarcastically inquired.

"I've learned that its better to get a piece of something rather than all of nothing and 3.6 million dollars in lieu of Mr. Peña is still a whole lot of something" Molina sarcastically responded back.

"No further questions" Boyle informed the Court.

"You are excused Agent Molina. Please remain available in the event one of the attorneys wishes to recall you". The Judge stated.

The Judge looked at the clock. "It's eleven-thirty. Let's break early for lunch and reconvene at one o'clock at which time we can hear from the remaining two witnesses" The judge stated.

"Your honor" McCoy called out as he stood. "We would like to add one additional witness".

Saperstein instantly stood up. "I'm sorry your Honor, but I object. Counsel for all parties stipulated to the four witnesses scheduled to testify today" He stated.

The judge looked back to McCoy. "I was hoping to hear all testimony today and to render my ruling in the expedited manner requested. Who is your additional witness?" He asked.

"Commissioner Francis Reagan" McCoy replied.

"Give me a quick oral proffer of his testimony so that I may decide whether it will have any relevance to these proceedings". The Judge responded.

"Goes towards the policies of the NYPD, Detective Reagan's training, and the Department's position on this matter. May I further remind the Court that as both the NYPD and Commissioner Reagan are party Defendants to these lawsuits, it would be equitable to provide the Commissioner the opportunity to defend both himself and the Department" McCoy concluded.

"Granted. Commissioner Reagan will testify this afternoon. I'll leave it to counsel to establish the order in which the Reagan family members will testify. If nothing else, this promises to be an interesting afternoon" He chuckled as he stood from behind the bench.

"All Rise" the bailiff called out, but again, before anyone could do so the Judge was halfway out the back door".

Frank walked up to Danny who was checking his watch. "I have to go check in with the squad". He stated.

"No you don't. You are off duty today and that's an order. How about you and Detective Baez join your sister, Jack, Mr. McCoy and me for lunch" Frank stated with smile.

"I'm not feeling that hungry". Danny said.

"Seems we've been down this road before. I'll tell you the same thing I did then. Don't eat, but your presence is important. Right now, I'm asking as a concerned father however"

"You can make it a direct order from my ultimate boss" Danny completed.

"And all this time I wondered if you really knew me at all" Frank grinned.

"I may be more like grandpa than I am you, but yeah Dad, I understand you perfectly. Always have" Danny smirked back.

"Good, now go ask Maria to join us and Danny," Frank stated.

"Yeah Dad".

"Maria is family so make her feel as if you want her to join, not as if she is obligated to".

"Lunch with my father, not our boss, got it." Danny replied as he comically gave his father a thumb up.

"Definitely his grandfather" Frank mumbled under his breath as he watched his son head out the courtroom door.


	21. Chapter 21

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

Forlini's Italian Restaurant

Manhattan, NY

11:47 a.m.

Frank, Danny, Erin, Boyle, McCoy, and Maria entered Forlini's Italian Restaurant on Baxter Street. Waiting for them at a table for 8 were Jamie, in uniform, and Jackie.

Frank made the introductions. "Jack McCoy, please meet Agent Jackie Curtola of DHS, who happens to be one of my former detectives as well as Danny's former partner at Major Case".

McCoy shook Jackie's hand. "Frank, are you fixing it so that your son is partnered with the most beautiful women in the NYPD?" McCoy inquired.

Both Jackie and Maria thanked him.

"And this is my youngest, Officer Jamison Reagan" Frank continued.

"So this is the brother who graduated Harvard Law and became a cop" McCoy addressed Erin after shaking Jamie's hand.

"I knew that law school could turn one away from the practice of law, but driving someone into the arms of the NYPD is a new one for me" He chuckled, a rarity for Jack McCoy, who then became somber as he addressed Jamie. "I know the reason you traded a suit for that uniform and your brother would be proud of you too".

"Thank you Sir" Jamie nodded.

"Though that doesn't mean that the People of the County of New York didn't lose out, that is if your sister's legal talents run in the family.

"He may actually have been better than me" Erin smiled.

"Could still be if he ever takes the Bar Exam" Danny noted.

"Which we are sure that he will easily pass" Boyle commented.

"To take the Bar Exam, you'll need a letter of character reference. I'd be happy to write one for you" McCoy offered.

"Thank you, Mr. McCoy, I would be grateful" Jamie humbly accepted.

After all were seated and their orders placed, they began discussing the case.

"So Jack, how do you think we're doing so far" Frank inquired of McCoy.

"If I had to place my bet right now, my feeling is that the Judge will no-cause the DEA's claim against the NYPD, but he will grant Phillips' claim against the NYPD and DEA. Most likely, he will find Detective Reagan's actions violated the 4th Amendment. As I have already advised you, there is no tenable defense to Mr. Phillips' claim. We can't prove the money belonged to Peña, or the Cartel, nor can we disprove that it legally belongs to Phillips.

"So in all likelihood, we'll have to deliver 18 million dollars to this mysterious Mr. Phillips" Danny remarked.

"Mysterious? Detective, as your sister can attest to, I may have been born at night, but I wasn't born last night. I didn't make a career as the top prosecutor in the nation's best DA's office without knowing a snow job when I see it, and I've seen a lot better than the dog and pony show you've involved me in". McCoy countered.

"Jack" Erin began but McCoy raised his hand to silence her.

"This entire proceeding is a legal fiction contrived to accomplish a collateral purpose" McCoy stated. "The NYPD has no intention of keeping the money nor did the DEA sue the Department just to get it's cut. The money is being used for bait and I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that our mysterious Mr. Phillips is a part of whatever plan you've all cooked up".

"For the record, Mr. Forshett is not in on it and while Mr. Phillips is aware of what we are doing, his employer is not". Boyle stated.

"Jack, we understand there are ethical issues involved here" Erin began, only to have McCoy waive her off.

"Erin, I'm retired". McCoy announced. "Do you really believe that I agreed to represent your father and the Department because I need the pittance the NYPD is paying me? I did it because I miss the action of the courtroom. Ethics weren't exactly my strongest suit when I was a prosecutor, in fact, I still must hold the record for number of times a prosecutor has been in contempt" McCoy smugly smiled.

"At least 80" Boyle remarked.

"At least I never crossed over to the dark side Jack, you would have made as good a prosecutor as your ex-wife" McCoy countered.

"Jack was a prosecutor?" Jackie inquired.

"One of the best. He and Erin both joined up right out of Fordham. Two rising stars until after three years, Jack here pulled the plug to cross the street. Tried taking his wife with him but her family was law enforcement through and through and she was going to finish the work that her father and brothers started" McCoy answered.

"Best way to get trial experience is to join a DA's office" Boyle stated to Jackie.

"Join one of those white shoe law firms out of law school and it may take five years before you ever see the inside of a courtroom, and then, only as a second chair to a partner so if you want to be a litigator, you cut your teeth working as an ADA for a fraction what you could be earning in the private sector, but you'll get the benefit of invaluable litigation experience that not only puts you years ahead of your contemporaries, but increases your marketable value substantially if and when you choose to leave and either join a firm or start your own" McCoy explained. "Now, how about we drop the pretenses and you just tell me what's really going on because I have no intentions of whatever it is leaving this table, unless of course, it's an egregious fraud upon the Court".

"You were an Executive Assistant District Attorney in May 2009" Erin addressed McCoy.

"May 15th, your brother was killed executing a warrant that I had requested. If memory serves, we had a witness, Charles Portman, that had been arrested for dealing. His second strike and he was looking at five to nine years if convicted. We pled it down to a year of community service and three years probation if he testified at the trial of his supplier, Duane Oliver. Portman failed to show for his trial prep. Our investigators couldn't locate him so I revoked the plea agreement, reinstated the original charge, and ordered him picked up" McCoy recalled.

"What you may not know is that Joe was actually shot by his NYPD partner, not by Portman as we originally were led to believe". Erin advised.

"We didn't know until two and a half years later when Jamie and Danny finally discovered the truth". Frank noted.

McCoy looked over at Danny and Jamie: "Solved your brother's murder, I'll be damned".

He imagined the anguish that had to have brought not just on the seasoned detective, but on a rookie fresh out of law school, however, knowing the truth was a weight off McCoy's chest. He had always held a semblance of guilt that if he had not issued that warrant, Joe Reagan would still be alive and Erin would still have her middle brother. He had found it difficult to face Erin in the years that followed which is why he had never made her his assistant and second chair, selecting other female ADAs instead. Even more so, McCoy's father had been an NYPD cop so he both knew of and understood the sanctity of the partnership relationship between two police officers. Rule #1 was that without question or excuse, you always had your partner's back. The idea of one partner turning on another was something repulsive to him".

"So what exactly is going on here" McCoy demanded.

Frank leaned in. "A life that is very important to us hangs in the balance so what we are going to tell you stays between us".

"You have my word" McCoy replied.

"You're correct, we want the Judge to return the money to Mr. Phillips" Frank replied. "He's an undercover agent with the DEA who is deep undercover with the cartel that wants the money" Frank stated in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Proceeds of their sale of drugs on our streets" McCoy whispered back.

"Correct. He's currently part of a plan to get the top brass of the cartel to where the DEA can grab them up and put it out of business once and for all" Boyle whispered.

"Okay, so why not just settle the case and give them back the money. The DEA can pick them up when they come for it" McCoy stated.

"Too easy, they would suspect something. We want them to fight for it or they will smell a rat" Danny replied.

"More importantly, we want to get Mr. Phillips to safety on this side of the border because his family desperately wants his safe return. As such, he must be present for the cash exchange" Jamie stated.

"Must be a pretty important family to have the juice to set this up". McCoy posited.

"An exceptionally important family" Maria replied.

"It's more than that Jack, we have to do this in a way that doesn't place the remainder of his family in danger and by that, I mean this family" Frank stated as he pointed at Erin, Danny, Jamie, and himself.

"I don't understand" McCoy replied.

Frank leaned further in: "Sam Phillips is the agent's undercover name" He softly whispered.

"I sort of surmised that" McCoy replied.

"What you could not have surmised, is that the name printed on his birth certificate" Frank replied.

"Which is?" McCoy inquired.

"Joseph" Danny began.

"Conor" Erin followed.

"Reagan" Jamie concluded.

McCoy's mouth dropped and his eyes grew wide before he turned his attention to Erin. "Your brother?" He asked in astonishment.

"Our brother" She responded pointing at Danny and Jamie.

"And my middle son" Frank replied with just pride.

"Are you certain that he's alive?" McCoy inquired.

"I personally met with him in Mexico last week" Jackie informed McCoy.

McCoy's face slowly adopted a big grin as everything fell into place. "Son of a bitch" He stated as he began to laugh.

"So, now that you know what's at stake, will you continue to help us?" Frank inquired.

McCoy looked around the table making eye contact each person before finally settling on Frank.

"You Reagans are certainly not a boring lot, are you?" He asked before answering. "No way in hell that I'm going to miss out on this so you might as well count me in" He grinned.


	22. Chapter 22

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

U.S. District Court For the Southern District of New York

Thurgood Marshall Courthouse

40 Foley Square

Manhattan, NY

1:00 p.m.

"All rise" The bailiff called out. "This court is now in session, the Honorable Horace Denning, presiding"

"Please be seated" The Judge ordered as he quickly assumed the bench.

"Mr. Forshett, I believe that it's your turn to lead off" The Judge noted.

"Yes, Your Honor. I would like to call New York County Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan to the stand" He stated.

Erin rose and approached the witness stand at which time she took the traditional oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help her God.

Once she was seated in the witness chair, Forshett began.

Please state your name for the record.

"Erin Elizabeth Reagan" She answered.

"Please state your occupation and employer" Forshett requested.

"I am the Deputy Homicide Bureau Chief and an Assistant District Attorney for New York County District Attorney's Office" She answered.

"For how long have you been employed as an Assistant District Attorney for the New York County District Attorney's Office" Forshett inquired.

"Since December 1, 2000" She replied.

"For the record, are you related to Francis Reagan, a party to this lawsuit" He asked.

"Police Commissioner Reagan is my father" She proudly answered.

"And for the record, are you related to Detective Daniel Reagan, also a party to this lawsuit" He inquired.

"Detective Reagan is my older brother" She responded in as equally proud a fashion.

"And to your knowledge, are both Commissioner Francis Reagan and Detective Daniel Reagan are employed by the New York City Police Department" He queried.

"Yes, they are both so employed" Erin replied.

"For the record, please inform the Court of your relationship to Detective Daniel Reagan's attorney".

"Objection, relevance" Boyle objected.

"I see no harm in it, humor me Ms. Reagan". The Judge directed.

"Mr. Boyle is my former husband" She replied.

"And for the record, is it true that Commissioner Francis Reagan's attorney, Mr. Jack McCoy is your former employer".

"Objection, relevance" McCoy objected.

"I'm not sure where you're going with this, but this is the last one of these questions I am going to allow" The Judge stated. "Objection is overruled, please answer Ms. Reagan" He ordered.

"At all times herein, my employer has remained the Office of the District Attorney, not the holder of that Office personally who even though an elected or appointed official, is also an employee of that Office. Mr. McCoy served as the District Attorney for New York County from 2008 through 2010 though at no time from December 1, 2000 through the end of his term as District Attorney in 2010 did I report directly to him." Erin answered.

Erin looked directly at her former husband as they shared the same thought. Dumb For Shit.

"As an Assistant District Attorney, or ADA as more commonly referenced, is one of your duties to draft warrants and to present such documents to a judge for his signature" Forshett inquired.

"Yes, as an ADA, it's a common part of my practice of criminal law" She responded.

"And after the Judge signs the warrant, you issue it to the requesting party, correct?" He asked.

"Unless I am serving the warrant myself, yes, that is correct". She replied.

"Would these include search and seizure warrants as defined under the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution" He asked.

"Yes" She answered.

"Do you routinely have detectives from the New York City Police Department asking you to procure such warrants pursuant to ongoing investigations they are conducting" He inquired.

"On matters falling within the jurisdiction of New York County, Yes" She replied.

"Would one of those detectives who routinely requests you to procure warrants on such matters be Detective Daniel Reagan" He queried.

"Yes" She stated.

"As in your brother" Forshett asked.

"I believe that you have already established my relationship to Detective Reagan" She stated. "Would it help to refresh your memory if the Court Reporter read back my earlier testimony?" She inquired.

"Just answer the questions Erin". Forshett spewed back.

"Come on Dom, use your words" Erin volleyed.

"Knock it off you two. Daylight's burning so move it along Mr. Forshett" The Judge ordered before any of the remaining attorneys could object.

Frank, Danny, Boyle, and McCoy couldn't help but smile at Erin's feistiness.

"On the night of May third, 2017, did Detective Daniel Reagan approach you regarding a warrant to search a boat purportedly belonging to a Mr. Jose Peña" Forshett asked.

"Yes" She answered.

"In fact, he demanded a warrant, isn't that true" He inquired.

"Yes"

"Was such a warrant furnished to Detective Reagan" He inquired.

"No" She replied.

"Why did you not accede to your brother's demand for a warrant to search the boat in question" He asked.

"Because Detective Reagan only had a hunch that the cash which is the subject of these proceedings, was on that boat. He had no witnesses or evidence that would serve to provide an evidentiary foundation to satisfy the existence of probable cause necessary to issue a warrant" She answered.

"But he's your brother, don't you trust his hunches?" Forshett inquired.

"Mr. Forshett, you are beginning to try my patience with this tactic" Judge Denning warned.

"If I may your Honor, this one I would like to respond to" Erin stated.

"Please do" The Judge graciously offered.

"I have known Detective Reagan my entire life and I have worked as an ADA for the New York County DA's office for as long as he's been a detective, one who has been decorated multiple times I might add, and having worked not only with my brother, but with hundreds of other detectives to use as a barometer, Detective Reagan's hunches turn out to be right 99 percent of the time but unfortunately, hunches alone do not satisfy the evidentiary and procedural requirements necessary to obtain a warrant, nor should they, and I will not violate my oath to uphold the law, nor will I risk my license to practice law, just to make my brother's job easier. If he has established probable cause, I will go to the mat for him or any detective to procure a warrant, but if that test cannot be satisfied, then I'm sorry, go out and find another way to get me what I need to help you but there are no short cuts in my office, not for Daniel Reagan, nor were there any for my brother Joseph Reagan, nor will there be any for my brother Jamison Reagan if and when he requests one. We may run a family business, but we do it on the up and up and I don't allow anyone a free pass around the law, family or not" She fumed.

"No further questions" A chastised Forshett announced.

"Good idea" The Judge humorously replied. "Mr. Boyle" He announced.

"Thank you your Honor" Boyle replied.

"Ms. Reagan, at what location did Detective Reagan approach you for this warrant" Boyle inquired.

"My office at 80 Centre Street" She replied.

"Was anyone else present" He asked.

"Yes, one of the DA's office investigators" She replied.

"This investigator's name" Boyle queried.

"Anthony Abetemarco" She responded.

"No further questions" Boyle replied.

"Mr. McCoy" The Judge announced.

"Ms. Reagan, at any time relevant to the action at bar, did Commissioner Reagan communicate with you regarding the warrant sought by Detective Reagan". McCoy inquired.

"No" Erin answered.

"At any time subsequent to the drug raid of May second, 2017, did Commissioner Reagan discuss with you the legalities of seizing the subject 18 million dollars" McCoy asked.

"No" Erin answered.

"At any time subsequent to the drug raid of May second, 2017, did you witness any conversation between Commissioner Reagan and Detective Reagan regarding a seizure of the 18 million dollars" McCoy asked.

"No" Erin answered.

"No further questions" McCoy stated before being seated.

"Mr. Saperstein" The Judge called out.

"No questions for this witness" He replied.

"Well, the Court has one question if counsel and this witness will indulge me. Ms. Reagan, earlier you stated the term, 'family business'. Please elaborate on this" The Judge asked.

"Certainly your Honor. I come from a family dedicated to public service and law enforcement. My great grandfather, grandfather, father, and eldest brother all served as United States Marines. The elder three generations also served as New York City Police Officers, with my grandfather and father each rising to the Office of Chief of the Department prior to being appointed as Commissioner of Police. All three of my brothers followed in our father's footsteps and joined the Department. This is our family business and my role in it is to prosecute the felons that my brothers and their extended brothers and sisters in blue, apprehend and charge with violating the laws of our city, county, and state" She concluded.

"Thank you Ms. Reagan, you are excused" He smiled.

"Who is our next witness"?

"Your honor, I would like to call Francis Reagan" McCoy announced.

"Before we begin Mr. Reagan's examination, will counsel all stipulate to the familial relationship between Commissioner Reagan, Detective Reagan, and ADA Reagan" He inquired.

"So stipulated" All four attorneys stated.

"Excellent. Saves time laying foundations" He remarked. "Please continue Mr. McCoy".

"Please state your full name for the record" McCoy requested.

"Francis Xavier Reagan" Frank responded.

"By whom are you currently employed" McCoy inquired.

"The City of New York" Frank answered.

"In what capacity?" McCoy asked.

"Commissioner of Police".

"This would be colloquially known as the NYPD, is that correct?" McCoy queried.

"Yes, it would" Frank replied.

"As Commissioner of Police, you are the NYPD's top cop, is that correct" McCoy asked.

"No, it is not" Frank answered.

"Why not" McCoy inquired.

"A commissionership is a civilian position. In my case, I was appointed by former Mayor Russo, and have been retained by Mayor Pool. I serve at the Mayor's pleasure, but I am employed by the City. In order to be appointed Commissioner, I had to resign from the NYPD. At the time I did so I held the post of Chief of the Department, who is both employed directly by, and serves as the highest ranking member of, the NYPD and is therefore the Department's top cop".

"So you are no longer a cop" McCoy asked.

"Regrettably I am not. I am now an administrator" Frank answered and those that knew him could hear the sadness in his voice.

"As Commissioner, do you involve yourself in the day to day operations of the NYPD?" McCoy asked.

"No, I do not. I delegate through the Chief of the Department to the appropriate chains of command. My role is supervisory".

"You have two sons who are members of the NYPD do you not?" McCoy asked.

"I do. Detective Daniel Reagan and Officer Jamison Reagan. A third son, Detective Joseph Reagan once served as well". Frank answered.

"What is the chain of command for Detective Reagan" McCoy inquired.

"The Chief of the Department and his subordinate Chiefs are the upper most layer. Below that, the NYPD transitions into two primary organs. Patrol Bureau and Detective Bureau. The Chief of Detectives is the senior member of the Detective Bureau. The elite commands of that division would include Central Robbery Division, Special Victims Unit, Crime Scene Unit, and the Major Case Squad to which Detective Reagan is currently assigned. Below these elite divisions would be the Borough Commands such as Brooklyn North Narcotics, Manhattan South Homicide, or Bronx Vice. Below these departments are the individual precinct detective squads which handle routine investigative matters not requiring the majors or borough detectives" Frank replied.

"At the time Detectives Reagan and Baez boarded Mr. Peña's boat in the West Side Marina, did you have any direct control over their actions" McCoy inquired.

"I did not, nor did I have personal knowledge that either Detective Reagan or Detective Baez had mounted such an operation". He replied.

"Would it have been routine for you to have been notified" McCoy asked.

"Yes, it would have because of the amount of cash involved, and because Detective Reagan requested the assistance of the Emergency Services Unit. When that unit is requested, I am usually notified by the requesting command". Frank stated.

"So in this instance, Detective Reagan took it upon himself to mount an operation to locate and seize the 18 million dollars he suspected as proceeds from the sale of the drugs that the NYPD and DEA collectively seized the previous night" McCoy asked.

"Objection, speculative" Boyle objected.

"I'll hear the answer and then rule" The Judge noted.

"Yes, an investigation subsequently conducted by my Office revealed that Detective Reagan acted on his own volition, without notice to his commanding officer, and without the requisite supervision and approval such an operation required". Frank answered.

"I'll allow it, overruled" The Judge stated.

"And what was the Department's response to Detective Reagan's unauthorized action of May third, 2017?" McCoy asked.

"It's both bad for morale and political suicide to reprimand a detective who took the initiative to buck the feds and confiscate 18 million dollars in illegal booty, money that had paid for drugs that are decimating certain areas of this city, areas my officers work in daily at a high risk to their lives" Frank replied. "To the 35,000 men and women who serve alongside Detective Reagan, he's a hero".

"Is it fair to say that Detective Reagan deliberately disregards procedure if he believes he is right and the Department is wrong?" McCoy inquired.

"No, that is not true". Frank answered. "If I may, the men in this courtroom today, with the exception of Mr. Forshett, are all fathers. Some of us have more than one child and we know that different children behave differently. Danny is my oldest, followed by Erin, and then my sons Joe and Jamie, now, back when they were children, if I had put up an electric fence and told my four kids not to touch it because they would receive a shock, Jamie would have studied it to figure out how it worked. Joe would have observed it as he pondered its purpose and my reason for installing it. Erin wouldn't have gone near it because I had told her to not to. She had no need to know how it worked, or my purpose for installing it. The fact that I told her not to touch it was all the information she required." Frank stated as he observed Erin smugly smirk at Boyle while looked at Frank nodding.

"And your son Daniel?" The judge inquired, a bit of a smile on his face.

Frank looked directly at a sheepish Danny seated at the defense table.

"The moment I was out of sight, Danny would have walked right over and touched it to be sure that what I had told him was true" Frank answered. "My three younger children always took my word at face value, but Danny, he always had to learn for himself, and today, that's what makes him such an elite and effective detective, because of his unswerving devotion to uncovering the truth which is exactly what the NYPD pays him to do and his track record shows that he performs that job exceptionally well".

"No further questions" McCoy stated.

"No questions" Boyle, Saperstein, and Forshett all announced.

"Then we'll take a 20 minute recess before reconvening at which time, the examination of Detective Reagan will commence" The Judge stated before popping off the bench before the bailiff could even begin his spiel.


	23. Chapter 23

**AUTHORS NOTE** :

I have received some reviews asking why Edie was not at the lunch with Jack McCoy. While I know many of you are JAMCO swooners, that relationship and the character of Edie is not instrumental to either this story line, or to the strategy being employed to break the cartel and return Joe to his family.

I have also received a couple of rather pointed (to put it nicely) private comments as to how I should write the story, or as to what characters I should use.

This is FANFICTION. This means that you take the characters, employ your own creative thought process, and draft the story you have in mind. If you don't like my storyline, the ancillary characters I have elected to cast, or that I have not used other characters enough such as Edie, or that I haven't made this story centered around JAMCO, I offer you a two option solution:

Don't read my story. I write first and foremost for my own creative edification.

Write your own and include who you want, and make the storyline about who or what you want it to be.

Finally, I do not partner up with anyone else to draft stories but thank you to those who have asked.

And now that the recess is over, the Bailiff is about to call Court back into session so please take your seats in the gallery. As for Me:

:::Walks over and sits next to Erin. "Hey Baby, huh huh, I'm Butthead, huh huh".

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

U.S. District Court For the Southern District of New York

Thurgood Marshall Courthouse

40 Foley Square

Manhattan, NY

2:45 p.m.

"Mr. Boyle, call your witness" Judge Denning stated after resuming the bench.

"Detective Daniel Reagan" Boyle announced.

Danny rose from the defense table and made his way over to the witness box where he was sworn in. He had testified in hundreds of depositions and trials, but this would be the first time where he was the primary subject of the inquiry.

He seated himself in the witness chair as Jack Boyle assumed his place behind the podium.

Danny looked out to see that Jamie had just slipped in and seated himself next to Erin.

"Please state your full name for the record" Boyle requested.

"Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan" Danny answered.

"And your current rank, assignment, and employer" Boyle stated.

"Detective First Grade, Major Case Squad, New York City Police Department".

"Your current age" Boyle asked.

"Forty-Four" Danny replied.

"How long have you been employed by the New York City Police Department?" Boyle queried.

"I have been employed by the NYPD for a total of 20 years and 9 months but this has occurred over three different time periods". Danny answered.

"Please elaborate" Boyle instructed.

"I graduated the NYPD Academy in October 1993 and served until October 1, 2001 at which time I was inducted into the United States Marine Corps. Upon my first discharge from the Marines, I rejoined the NYPD from October 2003 to October 2004 at which time I was recalled by the Marine Corps and served until October 2005 at which time I was permanently separated from the Corps. I resumed my career in the NYPD immediately upon my discharge" Danny answered.

"What rank did you hold in the Marine Corps?" Boyle inquired.

Upon my discharge in 2004, I was an E-5. Upon my separation in 2005, I was an E-7.

"What is an E-5 and an E-7?" Boyle asked.

"An E-5 is a Sergeant and an E-7 is a Gunnery Sergeant" Danny responded.

"As an E-5 or an E-7, did you have supervisory authority over those enlisted Marines under you?" Boyle queried.

"Yes as to both however as an E-7 I also combat trained enlisted Marines under me" Danny answered.

"What type of discharge did you receive from the United States Marine Corps" Boyle inquired.

"Honorable" Danny replied.

"Were you awarded any medals for your conduct" Boyle asked.

"I was" Danny stated.

"Please state which medals you received" Boyle stated.

Danny turned to Judge Denning. "I'd rather not your honor, it's not something that I'm comfortable talking about". Danny pleaded.

"How about you just state the top three as this provides the Court with a character reference" The Judge gently replied.

"During my first tour, I was awarded the Bronze Star with the Combat V. During my second tour, I was awarded the Silver Star and later, the Navy Cross" Danny replied while looking at his brother and sister, the look of unabashed pride in him clearly evident on their faces.

"These would be this nation's second, third, and fourth highest awards bestowed upon members of the United States Marine Corps for acts of bravery and gallantry during a time of war, is that correct?" Boyle inquired.

"Yes" Danny replied.

"What is this nation's highest award for military valor?" Boyle inquired.

"The Medal of Honor" Danny hesitantly answered.

"In fact, you were nominated by your commanding officer in Iraq for the Medal of Honor, but declined it and instead received the Navy Cross as a negotiated compromise between you and the Marine Corps, is that correct?" Boyle inquired.

Danny fixed Boyle with a look of pure anger. That was not supposed to be brought up. That part of his military record was sealed. Even his family didn't know about it and by the looks on the faces of his father and siblings, they wanted to know why he had kept this from them. More importantly, how did Boyle know.

"I will not under any circumstances answer this line of questioning" Danny firmly replied.

"During your service in the Marine Corps, were you issued lawful orders by your superiors" Boyle asked.

Danny chuckled. "About every ten minutes" He answered which caused Frank and the Judge to also giggle.

"Were you ever disciplined for failing to follow an order?" Boyle asked.

"Disciplined, no. Brought up on charges for doing so, yes, however, those charges were dismissed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps". Danny answered.

"Did your failure to obey the order of a superior achieve a result other than dismissal of those charges" Boyle inquired.

"My disobeying of that order led to my taking such action for which I was later was awarded a medal"

"Which medal would that be?" Boyle inquired.

"The Navy Cross". Danny answered.

"For which you were originally nominated to receive the Medal of Honor". Boyle stated.

"Yeah, that too" Danny replied.

"Have you received any awards from the NYPD" Boyle inquired.

"Yes" Danny answered.

"Please state them" Boyle instructed.

"Meritorious Police Duty, Combat Cross w/Gold Star, Commendation for Integrity, Medal of Valor, and Medal of Honor". Danny replied.

"These are the highest awards that the NYPD can bestow upon a police officer, are they not?"

"Yes" Danny replied.

"You didn't earn them writing parking tickets on Staten Island, did you?" Boyle asked.

"No, I did not. I earned them primarily as a Detective, and while either protecting the lives of innocent people, or while in mortal combat with those who had harmed or killed others". Danny answered.

"You don't seek other people's admiration or the limelight for your actions, do you Detective" Boyle asked.

"No" Danny replied.

"What do all these awards, commendations, and medals mean to you"? Boyle asked.

"Not a thing. I don't do what I do for trinkets or a handshake from the Mayor or the Commissioner though when receiving them, it may be the only time when he may actually not be disappointed in me" Danny stated as he watched his father's poker face fall in surprise.

"Regarding the matter before this Court, how did you and Detective Baez become initially involved" Boyle queried.

"On April 30, 2017, we were dispatched by our squad Lieutenant to a bombing at 95th Ave and 93rd Street in the Ozone Park area of Queens. Upon our arrival, we were advised that a club had been fire bombed. There were 11 dead bodies laid out in body bags on the street on 95th Ave. in front of the club" Danny answered.

"What information were you able to obtain regarding the bombing?" Boyle inquired.

"At that time Agent Veronica Molina of the DEA introduced herself to us and stated that the deceased parties had been locked in the club when the fire bomb exploded, that the club was a front for the Mano Sangrieto Drug Cartel, that the deceased were in business with this cartel, and that this was how the Cartel settled its business disputes. After some squabbling between us and the DEA, Agent Molina assigned us to surveil Jose Peña who she said was the Cartel's man in New York, and that nothing happened without his knowledge or involvement".

"And where did this surveillance lead?" Boyle inquired.

"Nowhere, so we reached out to one of our own Confidential Informants who provided us with information we gave to the DEA, that another shipment was due to arrive here on May second. Agent Molina procured the requisite federal warrants and we, along with Agent Molina, a DEA team, and our own ESU raided a shipping dock on the west side of Manhattan and seized what turned out to be 100 pounds of pure heroin" Danny stated.

"What about the cash used to pay for these drugs" Boyle inquired.

"Apparently, Peña received the cash before the raid. There was no cash was present" Danny answered.

"Did there come a time when you elected to located and seize the cash believed to have paid for these drugs" Boyle asked.

"Yes, we, and that includes Agent Molina, believed that Jose Peña had the cash. The next day when I told Agent Molina we wanted in on seizing it, she told us that the DEA flipped Peña who would now be working for the agency, and that he had to keep the cash and return it to the cartel, otherwise if he lost the cartel's cash he loses his job and the Agency loses its informant" Danny replied.

"What was your response to Agent Molina" Boyle queried.

"That we had our own drug laws in New York, that we didn't have to abide by whatever deal the Feds made, that the only way to hurt the cartel was to cut their cash flow and that by flipping Pena and letting him return the cash to the cartel, she and the DEA were trading on the safety of this city's citizens for a future score they couldn't be sure they could even make" Danny answered.

"So you and Detective Baez decided to go after the cash" Boyle inquired.

"I decided. Maria is a loyal partner, she had my back but it was my call". Danny replied.

"How did you locate Mr. Peña's boat?" Boyle asked.

"Confidential informant" Danny replied to keep Molina's identity safe.

"We heard testimony from Detective Baez regarding what transpired on the boat" Boyle began.

"All true, no need to rehash it. I'll stipulate to the authenticity of her recollection and her testimony" Danny stated.

"With that admission, I have no further questions" Boyle informed the Court.

"Mr. Saperstein" The Judge announced by way of invitation.

"Same here your honor, no questions for this witness". He stated.

"Mr. Forshett" The Judge called out.

"Just a few questions" He announced.

"Detective, did you ever prove that the cash located on Mr. Peña's boat belonged to Mr. Peña and not my client, Mr. Phillips?" Forshett asked.

"No, as I never saw the cash change hands, and have no credible evidence as to how those funds came to be located in the cargo hold of that boat, I cannot sit here today under oath and testify that the funds may belong to someone other than Mr. Peña". Danny stated.

"The same with the boat?" Forshett inquired

"Same thing there. The boat was traced back to a shell corporation that has more layers than my grandfather's cabbage dinners" Danny replied.

"Detective, why did you proceed after ADA Erin Reagan refused to issue the warrant you requested?" Forshett asked.

"I love and respect my sister and the job she does as a trial lawyer but there is a big difference between her role in the system and what my brother and I do. We're out on the streets with our lives on the line while she and the legal system sit in their ivory tower thinking up ways to protect the criminals while the innocents are dying. At least my brother Jamison was smart enough to realize where he belonged and what was important. Danny replied.

Thank you Detective, I have no further questions" Forshett stated as he returned to his seat.

"Mr. McCoy" The Judge announced.

"Oh, I have a few your Honor" McCoy stated.

"Imagine my surprise" The Judge replied.

"Detective, you have quite a rap sheet as it were with the Department's Internal Affairs Bureau" McCoy began.

"As I told my younger brothers, if you don't get your knuckles rapped by Internal Affairs every so often, you aren't doing your job the right way" Danny replied.

"Like your father's story, you have to take the shock to know that the fence is really electrified" McCoy stated.

"I trust my father, but as a distant cousin of ours famously stated, 'Trust but Verify' Danny replied as he shook his finger.

"And what is the right way to do your job Detective?" McCoy asked.

"The effective way, one which produces the results that put the bad guys away and protects the good people of this city" Danny replied.

"And you've elected yourself to determine the best way to accomplish those lofty goals, damned the Department's Patrol Guide and its Policy".

"As your client testified, I'm a master at walking the line. If I had crossed it, I wouldn't be here today because my dear old dad would have personally booted me out the 14th floor window and gleefully watched as I splatted on the cement below". Danny coldly replied.

The courtroom instantly took a dip in temperature that even the Judge noticed.

"Detective, do you want to take a break?" The Judge inquired.

"No, let's get this over with. The longer this takes, the more the Great and Powerful Oz over there gets to relish in it" Danny replied as he pointed towards his father.

Frank stood up. "Danny, what's your problem?"

"I'll tell you what my problem is. We're in here squabbling about 18 million dollars and who should get it but none of you are concerned about getting justice for the 11-dead people who were laid out May second on 95th Avenue, or all those who die from the poison that is sold by people like Jose Peña and his cartel, to the average person just trying to make something of their life for one more day. What you fail to understand it wasn't just about the money. There was no way that we were going to prove Peña incinerated those 11 people. We had no witness, no physical evidence, no cameras. By taking the money not only are we putting a major financial crimp in the cartel's operations, we are letting the cartel provide justice for the actions of its own agent". Danny said.

"What do you mean by providing justice for the actions of its own agent?" McCoy asked.

"Come on Mr. McCoy, a veteran prosecutor like you, what do you think Mano Sangrieto is going to do when they get ahold of the man who lost 18 million dollars of their money and brought the embarrassment and public scrutiny down on them that Jose Peña has. Do you even know what Mano Sangrieto translates to in English? It means Bloody Hand" Danny stated.

"My God, you signed his death warrant" McCoy stated.

"You're damned right I did" Danny replied.

"For what reason, you have no proof that Mr. Peña was the one who fire bombed that club and killed the 11 people inside" McCoy stated.

"I have all the proof I need Mr. McCoy, you see, the night after I confiscated that cash, my house was fire bombed, my home, where my wife and children slept, and once the FDNY was able to put the fire out, the FDNY arson investigator and our own CSU team went in and they found the device that started the fire and you know what? It was the same type of device that fire bombed that club and killed those 11 people, so there's my proof. You want more proof, here's another one of my famous hunches that my sister says are 99% accurate. The Cartel may move quickly, but it isn't that fast and according to Agent Molina, the only member it had in New York City at that time was Mr. Peña and his associate, Mr. Ruiz, the other gentleman on the boat that night. Ruiz is a flunky so whether Peña ordered the bombings or did it himself, like Tommy Lee Jones said in The Fugitive, 'I Don't Care', either way his life is forfeit. The cartel will clean up its own mess, it has to in order to set an example because the only way it can survive and do business is to rule by fear and I am not afraid of it because in the end, no United States Marine, no New York City Police Officer, and No one in my family with the last name of Reagan ever stands down." Danny concluded.

"I have no further questions". McCoy stated.

"The witness is excused". The Judge ordered.

"Counsel, as you all previously stipulated to waiving opening arguments, do you wish to present closing arguments?" The Judge inquired.

"Not oral arguments" McCoy replied, which was stipulated to by the remaining attorneys.

"Then submit your final briefs to the Court no later than 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning. We will reconvene at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon at which time I will render my ruling on this matter" The Judge stated as he began to rise.

Danny looked over to the elderly bailiff. "Save it Pops, he'll be out the back door before you can get the second word out of your mouth" and with that he stepped away from the witness box.


	24. Chapter 24

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico

3:25 p.m.

"Phillips" Sam stated as he answered his phone.

"Sam, Dominic Forshett here.

"Yes Mr. Forshett, do you have any news for us?" Sam inquired.

"The evidentiary phase of the trial is over. We'll all submit legal briefs tomorrow morning and the Judge will render his ruling at 2:00 p.m." Forshett replied.

"And your professional opinion as to what that ruling may be?" Sam inquired.

"The substance of the testimony from all parties, is that Detective Reagan is a hot head, who routinely acts as he pleases, without regard for rules or authority" Forshett stated.

"You don't know the half of it buddy" Sam thought to himself.

"It's very evident there was no search warrant, and neither the DEA nor the NYPD can prove that the money or the boat belonged to Mr. Peña, or conversely, that it did not belong to you. What everyone is in agreement on is that Mr. Peña has disappeared and was unable to testify either way" Forshett stated.

"What you aren't privy to Dom old buddy is that Mr. Peña is currently being pickled in a barrel of sulfuric acid somewhere off the southern coast of New Jersey so I wouldn't count on hearing from him any time soon" Sam said to himself.

"What has me worried, is that Detective Reagan has quite the honor roll of awards both as a Marine and a Detective. In fact, he was nominated for the Medal of Honor and turned it down. Why would someone do that?"

"Again, if you were privy to the entire story and knew my brother, you would instantly understand why" Sam silently answered.

"Anyway, that may be his only saving grace but the Judge made it clear from the beginning he is focusing only on one point of law and that is the 4th Amendment. Did Detective Reagan's actions violate it".

"Then I should be hearing from you tomorrow afternoon with the Judge's decision" Sam stated.

"You shall" Forshett replied, "oh one other thing"

"Yes?" Sam asked

"Seems there is some bad blood between Detective Reagan and his father. He really tore into him from the witness box". Forshett remarked. "Called him the Wizard of Oz and stated the old man would be happy to boot him out of the 14th floor window and watch as he splatted on the cement below".

"Thank you for the information. Until tomorrow Mr. Forshett" Sam stated as he disconnected and went to inform El Jefe of the attorney's remarks. Afterward, he would ponder his elder brother's remarks but there was no way that Danny and Frank were having problems, so what message was Danny trying to send?

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

The Capital Grille

120 Broadway

Manhattan, NY

4:40 p.m.

After leaving the courtroom, Danny, Erin, Jamie, Frank, Jack McCoy, and Jack Boyle boarded an elevator to return them to the lobby of the courthouse from which they would exit.

McCoy looked at his watch. "It's after five o'clock in the next time zone so why don't we all go get a drink and recap today. I'm buying the first round".

"Jack McCoy is buying drinks, count me in" Erin grinned knowing that the scuttlebutt around the DA's office for years was how much of a cheapskate McCoy was, and how he had mooched many a drink and meal off of junior ADAs.

Boyle, no stranger to the same gossip perked up as well. "I'm okay for just one as I have to prepare our brief." He stated.

"Prepared mine last night" McCoy stated as he handed Boyle a computer fob. Just have your secretary print it up for me. I'll come by your office first thing in the morning and sign the original and your clerk can file both of our briefs at the same time" He stated.

"Just like old times Jack, dumping your work on the junior ADA". Boyle jested.

"How else are you going to learn?" McCoy replied.

"Let's head to the Capital Grille. We can get a private table" Frank noted as he picked up his phone to have Baker make the sudden reservation for six.

"Danny, how about you and Jamie ride over with Erin and me and Jack will go with your dad and his detail" Boyle suggested.

"Sounds good to me" Jamie noted as Danny nodded his agreement.

Once all had assembled at the Capital Grille they ordered drinks and appetizers.

McCoy looked over at Danny. "You turned down the Medal of Honor".

"Yep" Danny said as he took a bite of his calamari. "Under the same circumstances, I'd not only turn it down again, I'd shove that Navy Cross they forced on me up a certain officer's ass" He stated before taking a sip of his single malt.

"Care to share?" McCoy asked.

"My days in the Marine Corps are not something I like to discuss, even with fellow Marines such as my father and grandfather, but for some reason, I'm becoming a different person since my wife's death. Maybe I'm just getting soft so sure, I'll tell you the story" He said as he sat back and let his mind drift back almost 13 years.

"November 7, 2004 through December 23, 2004, Operation Phantom Fury, or what you civilians call, The Second Battle of Fallujah" He began. "This was a joint American, Iraqi, and British offensive and is now considered the highest point of conflict in Fallujah during the Iraq War. It was led by the U.S. Marine Corps against the Iraqi insurgency stronghold in the city of Fallujah and was authorized by the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Interim Government. The U.S. military called it 'some of the heaviest urban combat U.S. Marines have been involved in since the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam in 1968', a battle my father fought in when he was an active Marine.

Thursday, November 25, 2004, Thanksgiving Day back home but the Corps took great care to give us those creature comforts that day in order to remind us that we were fighting to preserve the life you were all leading back home, so while at seven a.m. in Brooklyn my family was waking up and looking forward to a day of parades, football, beer, and turkey, I'm on a Marine Corps base 6,000 miles and eight times zones to the east smack dab in the middle of a war zone having my Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the afternoon since it was my platoon's turn that night to patrol for insurgents. For those of you who don't know, a platoon is made up of one Commander usually a Captain or Lieutenant, one Sergeant, which was me, and three squads. Each squad is comprised of three fire teams which are each comprised of four Marines. That's 12 men to a squad, three squads, plus myself and the commander. 38 Marines total. That night I was saddled with a Lieutenant from an upper crust family in Connecticut who was attending Dartmouth while I was making felony collars in the Bronx.

Like any military organization, it's the Non-Commissioned Officers who really run the Corps but nobody was telling this ivy league college boy Lieutenant anything because he knew it all, so against my advice, and that of each squad leader, he split the three squads up and ordered them to deploy in 45 degree arcs from one another which meant that no squad was held in reserve to cover the others. Sure enough, Alpha squad which consisted of 12 Marines got ambushed and hit hard. Three Marines were killed and the other nine taken hostage. We had a shot right then and there to go after them with the remaining two squads, but Lieutenant know it all ordered us to retrieve the dead and fall back to base.

As soon as we returned I demanded to see the Company C.O. and to reassemble my men and go after the nine missing Marines but again, Lieutenant dumbass denied my request so, against orders, I reassembled the two squads plus I commandeered another squad that had returned from an earlier deployment, grabbed up another Sergeant to replace me while I served as the platoon commander, and headed out to retrieve my men, and for that I was charged with disobeying a direct order to stand down which was fine with me, because we found the insurgents, killed every last one, and brought all nine men back. Two of my guys were so badly wounded that they wouldn't have made it another day, and the other seven had already been beaten and abused in the time it took us to come back for them".

"But that isn't the entire story, is it?" Frank asked.

"There might have been something else that happened but that's not really important" Danny answered as he looked at his drink.

Frank quickly caught on. "You didn't do what I think you did" He asked.

Danny just smiled.

Jamie didn't follow so he asked. "What did you do Danny?"

When Danny didn't respond, McCoy broke out in a laugh. "You decked that Lieutenant, didn't you?"

A smile broke on Danny's face from ear to ear. "Knocked him out cold with a left hook that started somewhere down in the Battery and landed up in Fort Apache which is why I had the time to regroup my men and head out without him stopping me".

"So when you returned, they tossed you in the brig" Frank stated.

"Uh, not exactly" Danny replied. When nothing further was said, he continued. "It's like the 18 Mil, you don't suspend a Detective who on his own volition and without any support from the Department other than his partner, seizes that kind of cash and puts a major dent in a drug cartel pushing poison through your city. That would generate more than enough egg for both you and the Mayor to wear on your faces for the next 10 news cycles. The Marine Corps was in the same position. I rescued 9 men, two on death's door. A Courts-Martial was the last thing that the Marine Corps, the Navy, The Joint Chiefs, The DOD, SecDef or The Commander In Chief wanted to happen. Instead, they were going to bury what I did to that Lieutenant and make me into the poster boy for the squared away Marine who went above and beyond and to do that, they were awarding me the MOH".

"And you turned it down" Jamie stated.

"You're damned right I did. First of all, they never should have given that moron a set of bars. He was incompetent. He got us into that mess, and he refused to let me extricate his men, My men from it. Secondly, I'm not in the league of those men who deservedly were awarded that medal nor were my actions, so I refused the Medal of Honor and that's when the fun began" He said before taking another sip of his scotch.

"Being that this all took place on Thanksgiving, we had the brass over to put on the dog and pony show. This included the Commandant of the Marine Corp, the theater commander, who was a three star, and our Company C.O., a two star. By Saturday they knew I wasn't going to play ball so they eventually ordered me into a private room where the highest ranking enlisted man in the Corps was waiting for me".

"Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps" Frank nodded.

"He's the senior aide to the Commandant and travels with him. Anyway, at first he tries explaining to me, grunt to grunt, though I'm only an E-7 and he's an E-9, about doing my duty for the Corps and all. When this doesn't work, he goes off on me like a drill instructor at Parris Island, which he probably was in his younger days. I just sat there and tuned him out. Finally, in walks the brass. I get the same spiel from the two star, and after that, more of the "what is your major malfunction" crap from the three star. During all of this the Commandant is just calmly observing me as if I'm some specimen in a lab experiment he's conducting. After half an hour he orders everyone else to cease fire and get out. Then he pulls up a chair and sits down across from me and asked me to tell him about myself.

"Sir?" Danny asked the four star who led the USMC.

"Tell me about yourself Gunnery Sergeant, I'd like to get to know you better" The Commandant stated.

Danny remained seated ramrod straight.

"First of all, relax, at ease Marine. Forget your stripes and my stars for a minute, we're just two Jarheads jawin" He stated with his southern drawl.

Danny eased up slightly as he stared straight ahead.

The Commandant laughed. If I were your bunkie, would you look at me that way? He asked Danny.

"Sir, if you were my bunkie, I'd have to wonder what you did to get busted from four stars down to three up and two down" Danny replied, referencing the three stripes and two rockers that made up the Gunnery Sergeant's insignia.

"Good point Reagan. So what did you do in civilian life before you joined up?" The Commandant inquired.

"Detective, New York City Police Department, Sir".

"Can the "Sir" and that's an order Marine. We're off the record right now" He admonished Danny.

"Married, kids?" He inquired.

"Very happily with two sons, one born not long before I shipped out".

The Commandant nodded for he understood the hardships of leaving a family behind.

"I see you originally enlisted right after nine-eleven. I take it that you were there when the city was hit".

Danny nodded. "I was. I worked the pile for days looking for survivors. Lost some friends, both NYPD and FDNY. After my second day I walked over to the recruiting office and joined up". He stated.

"Why the Corps as opposed to the other services?" The Commandant inquired.

"My great grandfather served in the Corps in WWI, my grandfather in Korea, my father in Vietnam. They all also served in the NYPD after they were discharged from the Corps. I'm following tradition".

"Being a cop and now this, you've seen a lot of ugly haven't you?" He asked.

"I have, more than one should ever see" Danny answered.

"You don't think you earned the MOH, do you" He asked.

"Would you General? Danny inquired.

"No, probably not but there are a lot of people around here that think a whole lot of you, your leadership, abilities, dedication, loyalty to your men and to the Corps, not to mention your guts decking a an officer like that".

"Probably not my smartest move, granted, but it sure felt good at the time" Danny smiled.

"Just don't make a habit of writing checks that your ass can't cash Marine" The Commandant informed Danny.

"I won't General, this was a one off" Danny replied.

"Good, because I'm going to offer you a compromise that saves both your career and your ass. Your story plays well with D.C., the brass, the DOD, and most of all, the C-I-C, so you're going to accept the MOH. Your alternative is a Courts-Martial for striking a superior officer and deserting your post. Sure, it will play like shit in the press and the Corps and the politicians will look like major assholes and maybe a career or two will go down the shitter, starting with that L T, but you'll be right there front and center in the thick of the shit".

"General, I will not accept this country's highest award for something I should not have had to do in the first place. There was no gallantry or bravery, it was a clear case of cleaning up someone else's mess and that includes the Corps. It would be disrespectful of me to be counted in the same class with those honorable and gallant men who have justly and deservedly earned the MOH, however, I have no wish to embarrass you, the Corps, our Commander In Chief or anyone else so may I make a counter-proposal" Danny stated.

"What's' that Reagan"? The Commandant asked.

"Sir, I believe that the Navy Cross more accurately reflects my actions".

The Commandant took a moment to consider the offer before extending his hand. "You have a deal Gunney".

Danny accepted the handshake and then snapped off a crisp salute. "Thank you General"

"You know Reagan, you are selling yourself short. Just about any other Marine in this man's Corps would have jumped at the chance to be awarded the MOH and here you are believing that it being awarded to you under these circumstances would tarnish its image. I came in here thinking that I should bust you down to an E-1 and ship your sorry ass to Diego Garcia for breaking that Lieutenant's jaw but after hearing you out, I'm now firmly convinced that you're exactly the type of Marine the MOH is meant for" The Commandant stated.

"Sir, I've never taken the easy road in life so why would I start now?, besides General, it's the right thing to do." Danny stated.

The Commandant nodded his understanding: "You're a pain in my ass Gunney but let me tell you something."

"Sir?" Danny inquired.

"I wish my Marine Corps had an entire division of Danny Reagans" He said before he saluted Danny.

Danny saluted back: "Sir, that means more to me than all the medals you could pin on my chest. Thank you General" Danny smiled as he executed a perfect about face and marched out of the room.

"A week later, they awarded me the Navy Cross" Danny said.

"What happened to that Lieutenant?" Jamie asked.

Danny smiled. "The Commandant left me a letter with the medal. It went something like: 'Dear Gunnery Sergeant Reagan, because I was so impressed with your code of honor, I've decided to bestow you with an early Christmas present. Look inside the envelope' which I did to find a photo of that Lieutenant standing beside a sign which read 'Marine Corps Security Detachment, Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti'".

McCoy let out a guffaw. "Transferred him to the ass end of the earth".

"All I cared about is that he was away from me and my Marines" Danny nodded.

Frank looked across the table at Danny. "Did you really mean those things you said today?" He inquired.

Danny pondered the remarks he had made while testifying. "No, but you and everyone else thought so which was the idea" He stated with a straight face.

"Why?" Frank inquired.

"I wanted Forshett to think there was a rift between us so that it would get back to the cartel. Throw them off any possible scent they may have regarding what we're up to".

"You want to take as much heat as possible off of your brother as you can" Frank stated.

"That too" Danny replied. "One thing that I did say that was true though and that is that the only time I feel you aren't disappointed in me is when I'm getting some award".

Frank seemed genuinely surprised. "Then I guess I haven't done a very good job in telling you just how proud I am, and have always been of you son"

Danny was confused. "It always seemed to me like you were out there rooting for Jamie, Joe, or Erin, after all, I never went to college, or grad school, or really did anything special other than just follow in your footsteps, plus you're always saying how I'm more like Pops than you".

Franks expression softened. "That's because I think the world of my father and comparing you to him is a very high compliment. As for your siblings, yes, they have all chosen to make their own way in this world, but you don't think that I am proud that my eldest chose to follow my lead, as I did my father's, and he his father's? Danny, do you think I am the one who is assigning you the tough cases because I can assure you that I am not. The Chief of Detectives has told me that when he has a tough one to crack, he puts you on it because you're his best and that you will pursue it until you have the answers you are looking for, and if you don't think that makes me proud as hell, then maybe we don't know one another as well as a father and son should".

"Then maybe that's something we should work on" Danny said.

"Yes, we should" Frank smiled.

"You know Danny, you always thought that I favored Joe over you, because I called him my best friend, but what you never realized, is that you've always been my hero" Jamie informed Danny.

"Me?" Danny surprisingly asked.

"Mine too" Erin softly smiled. "I have a different relationship with each of my brothers. I practically raised Jamie, so he'll always be my baby brother who I look after. Joe was the one I could talk to because he was patient and didn't judge me, but when I need someone in my corner to fight for or to protect me, my big brother has always been there.

"Joe would tell you the same thing. Both he and I learned a lot from you Danny. You aren't always the most patient teacher but what you do get across is more important and valuable than what they teach at the Academy" Jamie stated.

"Maybe Danny should teach a class on investigations" Boyle suggested.

"That's a very good idea Jack" Erin agreed.

"Uh, folks, I'm right here and I don't think that would be such a good idea, I'm not exactly the lesson plan type of guy" Danny stated.

"Bullshit, all you have to do is draw up an outline and put your students through their paces. This isn't a class on constitutional law, you are teaching real life skills and procedures, and how to use deductive reasoning and the tools available to you" McCoy remarked. "Involve your class in one of your ongoing or most recently solved cases. You'll be the most popular instructor at the Academy".

Danny looked at his father. "What do you think"?

"Son, I think the same thing right now that I do every day. That you can do anything you apply yourself to so why don't you think about it. The Department would be far better off with the knowledge you share than without it" Frank stated as Erin and Jamie affirmatively nodded.

"To Danny" Jamie toasted.

"To Danny" They toasted.


	25. Chapter 25

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** :

Sorry for the delay in posting, but I wanted to watch the most recent episodes to see what the official storyline would be and whether it affected my piece.

Suffice to say, that the writers and producers of Blue Bloods have failed to create a foundation upon which the characters are based, particularly, the four children.

In Season 8, Episode 7, Frank names Joe (age 9) as his oldest, and that his oldest and second oldest were born 19 months apart, and they had a kid sister who they picked on. This makes Danny the second eldest and Erin third. He also states that Mary was at the market with the baby (Jamie).

Frank previously stated Joe was his first born to the female officer the family consented to wearing Joe's old shield number.

Fact: Joe's headstone states that he was born June 6, 1977. That puts his current age at 40.

Fact: Season 6, Episode 7, "The Bullitt Mustang", (Aired Nov 6, 2015) Erin celebrates her 40th Birthday. (Season 3, Episode 17 "Protest Too Much", (Aired March 8, 2013) Whitney Robshaw reminds Frank they had previously met at Erin's 40th Birthday.

Fact: At the time Season 8, Episode 7 "Common Ground" aired on November 10, 2017, Erin was either 42 or 45, depending on whether her 40th birthday occurred prior to March 2013, or occurred on November 6, 2015.

Fact: Jamie is the youngest.

Based on the factual foundation set forth above, Joe cannot be the eldest and as the series consistently refers to Danny as Erin's big brother, or Erin as Danny's kid sister, and, based on Erin being 42 and Joe only 40, there is no way that Joe can be older than Danny, nor can Erin be Joe's kid sister as stated by Frank in "Common Ground"

Fact: Mary Reagan was born April 28, 1955 and died September 14, 2005. (Gravestone shot "The Blue Templar" Season 1, Episode 24) This would have made her 22 when Joe was born and 20 when Erin was born, and likely 18 for Danny.

If Erin's 40th B'day was prior to March 2013, (assume Oct/Nov 2012) then using April 28, 1955 as Mary's birthdate, she would have been 17 when Erin was born and 15 for Danny. The math doesn't work.

Finally, in Common Ground, Frank states that at the time in question, Joe is 9 and Danny is 19 months younger. Based on Joe's birthdate of June 6, 1977, this story likely occurs in the fall of 1986 or the spring of 1987. Jamie is referenced as the baby who went to the market with Mary. Erin is the kid sister which puts her at 4 or 5 years old.

If this timeline is followed then in November 2017, Joe is 40, Danny is 38, Erin is somewhere between 34 and 36, and Jamie is 31. Again, the math doesn't work.

This confusion needlessly arises due the failure of the show's producers and creators, and their successors, from establishing a written timeline that must be adhered to.

In the Godfather trilogy, you knew that Sonny was the eldest, followed by Fredo, Michael, and then Connie however if BB's creative/production team were making a TV series based on those characters, one-week Sonny may be the eldest and a month later it may be Fredo.

Considering this is a procedural that revolves around the family, I would think that it would be a crucial element to establish a factual order of the siblings, what their ages actually are based on factual birthdates created for each character as it was for Joe, and to hold true to these facts as stories are developed that incorporate that information.

As far as this writer is concerned the following applies:

Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan – Born between January and August 1973 – Current Age 44

Erin Reagan – Born October/November 1975 – Current Age 42

Joseph Conor Reagan - Born June 6, 1977 – Current Age 40

Jamison Reagan - Likely born in the second half of 1985 – Current Age 32

The timeframe of Jamie's birth can be extrapolated by working backward from when he graduated the Academy.

He would have to have graduated the academy so that he could be part of the ceremony in the pilot, which was September 2010. The Academy application and course process can take several months, so let's presume that he went to the Academy right out of Harvard Law School which he would have graduated March 2010. Law school is three years meaning he started in the fall of 2007. Before that would have been 4 years of college which he began in the fall of 2003. This means that he graduated high school in the spring of 2003 at age 18, which puts his birthdate between July 1985 and June 1986.

Having been born in 1955, Mary would have given birth to Danny at 18, Erin at 20, Joe at 22, and Jamie at 30.

You would think that after 8 years that the show may begin filling in some of these blanks such as Erin and Jamie's middle names, and Danny's and Jamie's birthdates.

The same would hold true for Nicky, Jack, and Sean.

And now, to our story:

Wednesday, June 14, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

10:07 p.m.

Danny stood in his childhood bedroom staring at the large Marine Corps flag which graced one of the two large side walls. He had always been proud of his service and of the Corps and it felt good to finally tell his family something about his second tour which he usually refused to share with anyone.

He was so engrossed with his thoughts that he failed to hear his father knock and enter.

"Danny"? Frank had inquired three times before it finally registered.

"Sorry Dad, just lost in thought I guess" He stated while still looking at the flag.

"Today took a lot out of you" Frank stated.

"Also got somethings out in the open that have stayed buried too long" Danny responded.

"Yeah" Frank nodded.

"Makes me wonder if I am going to have the same strained relationship with my sons as they get older, as you and I have always had". He stated while looking at his father.

"I've heard it said that the best relationships are between fathers and daughters, and the most difficult are those between fathers and sons" Frank opined.

"You never had that problem with Joe or Jamie" Danny stated.

"First of all, you're the oldest and as you should know by now, unlike cars, computers, and appliances, children do not come with an owner's manual. Therefore, as imperfect parents we tend to make our trial errors on our eldest. Secondly, unlike your brothers, you were always independent and as I alluded to in Court, you had to make your own decisions and discover your own truths, even if that meant going against the rules which were put in place to protect you. Frank replied.

"If your brother had lived, I wonder what it would have been like for you, with Pops putting all the pressure on him. Would you have turned out differently than you have" Danny stated.

"It's possible but I was always more my mother's son than my father's, just like Joe was definitely more his mother's than mine and conversely, Erin was my more my daughter than your mom's. As for Jamie, I think he's more Erin's than either your mother's or mine" Frank smiled.

"Yeah, he does tend to listen to her more than anyone else, even Joe" Danny commented.

"She spent a lot of time with him from when he was a baby until she got married and moved out and even then, she still kept an eye on him" Frank recalled. "As for you Danny, you've always been a chip off of Pop's shoulder so if you can't be like me, at least you're like the man I admire most in this world".

Danny nodded: "I've always felt closer to him than to you".

"Maybe it's because you two have more in common than you and me. Other than our service in the Marines and our police work, unlike your siblings, you and I don't share much else" Frank sadly noted.

"I wonder if Jack feels the same way about me". Danny inquired.

Frank considered his answer: "Why don't you ask him. Maybe we should have had this talk thirty years ago but now that we are, let me ask you something, and you can be honest" Frank hesitated because in part, he was afraid of what the answer may be. "Do you hate me?"

Danny was bewildered. "How can you ask me that Dad, of course I don't hate you. I love you, I just don't want to disappoint you or maybe I'm just tired of feeling that no matter what I do, it winds up that way" He replied.

"Son, I place a higher burden on you because I know what your capabilities are. You are the same dogmatic, determined person who licked a steel pole in the middle of winter, just to prove to yourself whether or not your tongue would stick to it, even though you were warned that it would. It's why you deliberately went against Special Agent Molina, your sister, even your own common sense to seize that cash because letting that money fund the cartel upset your moral compass. Is it frustrating as a father to watch his son repeating a process that is harmful to him, yes, but don't ever think for a second, that I'm disappointed in you Danny, because that couldn't be further from the truth" Frank stated.

"Jack's high school graduation ceremony is Saturday" Danny stated as his mind drifted off to thoughts about the relationship they had. Jack was very much Linda's son in temperament. He had her patience, grace, and sense of innocence. On the other hand, Sean was a chip off of his shoulder and had the same Reagan temper.

Frank noted that Danny was fading. "Why don't you get some sleep Danny" He suggested as he exited the room, closing the door behind him.

Once Frank had left, Danny began looking through boxes of Linda's things which Erin and Jamie had packed up for him. At the top of the second box, was an old trinket box large enough to hold some smaller pieces of jewelry, but when Danny opened it the only thing he found inside was the key to their safety deposit box.

Thinking back, the only things Danny could recall that they kept in it were the titles to their cars, the deed to their house, and their family birth certificates. Linda had handled all of that, in fact, Danny had never seen the box itself having only signed as a joint owner and a person authorized to access it. He placed the key in his wallet made a note that if he had the time the following day, he'd head by the bank to see what was in the box.

Thursday, June 15, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

6:40 a.m.

As Sean Reagan made his way into the kitchen, Danny looked up from the table.

"Morning" He bade.

"Hi Dad" Sean replied.

"Where's your brother?" Danny inquired.

"Sound asleep" Sean replied.

"I better go get him up, he'll be late for school" Danny stated.

Sean shook his head as he poured cereal into the waiting bowl. "Better get with the program Dad"

"What program is that?" Danny inquired.

"His last day was yesterday, remember? I still have to put in a half day though I have no idea why they make us do that" Sean replied.

"Because you have to school for 186 days and today is day number 186" Danny replied.

"Yeah, but why half a day, that makes no sense, it's not like we're going to do anything but sit around and play video games" Sean responded.

"What time does your first class start?" Danny asked as he recalled how excited he used to become each year on his last day of school.

"Seven Twenty-Five" Sean answered.

"And you get out when? Danny asked.

"Normally, at Two-Twenty-Five but today we're done at Eleven" Sean responded.

"Figure it out Einstein" Danny quipped.

"It's a three-and-a-half-hour day instead of seven hours" Sean replied.

"It's a three-hour and thirty-five-minute day" Danny informed Sean.

"So what?" Sean replied.

"It's five minutes past the half way point of the full seven-hour day which under state law, makes it count as a full day so that the teachers can boot you kids early and get a jump on their summer vacations" Danny answered.

"Sweet" Sean replied.

Danny rolled his eyes "Finish your breakfast" He ordered.

Thursday, June 15, 2017:

U.S. District Court For the Southern District of New York

Thurgood Marshall Courthouse

40 Foley Square

Manhattan, NY

1:50 p.m.

Danny had spent the morning and early afternoon working a case with Baez before she reminded him that he had to be in Court. She drove him to the Courthouse and had offered to stay but he told her that he'd catch a ride back to the Five-Four with his father or have an RMP drop him.

When he entered the courtroom, everyone else associated with the trial was present except for the Judge who Danny knew would bolt through the back door of the courtroom as soon as the clock struck two p.m.

He sat down at the defense table between Jack Boyle and his father with Jack McCoy to Frank's left.

"Nice of you to join us" Frank quipped.

"I do have ongoing investigations to conduct, and a Lieutenant to report to" Danny replied.

"Which you are currently absolved from doing during the course of this trial" Frank stated.

"That would look like the School Board Superintendent giving his son a hall pass for the day, no thank you Commissioner, Sir" Danny vehemently replied with an emphasis on "Sir".

"As you wish, Detective" Frank sternly responded with an emphasis on "Detective".

What only they and their attorneys knew was that this was a continuation of the act they were putting on for Dominic Forshett's benefit, to further water the seeds of disagreement they had planted the day before.

At exactly 2:00 p.m. the back door opened and Judge Denning stepped out.

"All rise" the bailiff began before the Judge waived him off.

"This is the date and time set by the Court for the rendering of its ruling in Case No: 17-198849, United States Drug Enforcement Agency v New York City Police Department, and Case No. 17-198861, Samuel M. Phillips v The New York City Police Department, New York City Commissioner of Police Francis X. Reagan, New York City Police Detective Daniel F. Reagan, and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. Please note for the record, that counsel for all parties are present" The Judge concluded before continuing:

"I have read counsels' briefs and accompanying arguments, and I will be issuing a written opinion in support of my oral ruling which I should have for counsel by tomorrow afternoon, but as all parties have requested an expedited proceeding, I am prepared to put the key points of my ruling on the record at this time, unless there are any objections" The Judge stated.

"No objection" McCoy stated, followed by the remaining three attorneys.

"Very well. At the beginning of these proceedings I stated that the crux of these combined cases focused on one issue and the testimony taken of the witnesses examined before the court, would be weighed solely as it applied to that issue, which is a question of law to be decided by the Court, that being, did the actions of Detective Daniel Reagan on May third, 2017, whether independently, or in the course of his sworn duty as a detective employed by the New York City Police Department, violate Mr. Jose Peña's lawful rights against an unlawful search and subsequent seizure of property in Mr. Peña's custody, as set forth in the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It is hereby the ruling of this Court, that Detective Reagan's actions of May 3, 2017 as attested to in these proceedings, did in fact violate Mr. Peña's Fourth Amendment rights, to wit: That Detective Reagan without probable cause, and without a warrant issued by a Court of competent jurisdiction to act, did in violation of Mr. Peña's Fourth Amendment rights, unlawfully board and search the subject naval vessel, and, did unlawfully seize and transfer to the custody of the New York City Police Department, the sum of 18 million dollars in United States currency.

As to the lawful owner of the seized property. No evidence has been brought before this Court that would either refute, or support the claim brought by Plaintiff Samuel M. Phillips' as the lawful owner of the subject 18 million dollars, nor has any evidence been presented that would support that such funds were the proceeds of an unlawful act committed by Mr. Phillips, Mr. Peña, or any person or entity acting as the agent or employee of either Mr. Phillips or Mr. Peña.

Wherefore, it is the Order of this Court, that the seized property be returned forthwith to Plaintiff Samuel M. Phillips" the Judge said as he wrapped his gavel.

"Your honor?" Forshett asked as he rose from his chair.

"Mr. Forshett?" The Judge inquired.

"In line with your order, we have a wrinkle that we need to iron out".

"A wrinkle you say? Why am I not surprised. Would this be a SNAFU wrinkle, or is it more of a FUBAR wrinkle?" He sarcastically inquired.

Frank, Danny, and Saperstein all began to laugh while doing their best to hold it in.

"Sir?" Forshett inquired.

"Military acronyms counselor. Sierra November Alpha Foxtrot Uniform, Situation Normal All Fouled Up, meaning, par for the course, or Foxtrot Uniform Bravo Alpha Romeo, Fouled Up Beyond All Repair, meaning, it's a whopper of a wrinkle".

By now Frank, Danny, and Saperstein couldn't hold back and the laughs were clearly audible up on the bench.

"It's clear that you three in the peanut gallery know what I'm talking about so enlighten me as to which branch you served in" The Judge inquired, knowing that it was likely that only those who had served in the U.S. military would understand what he had just alluded to, and that his description of the F in FUBAR was a civilian word used to describe the acronym.

"United States Marine Corps your Honor" Frank replied.

"United States Marine Corps your Honor" Danny replied.

"United States Air Force your Honor" Saperstein replied.

"Two Jarheads and a Flyboy. I'm an old salt myself" the former naval officer replied from the bench before turning his attention back to Forshett.

"So Mr. Forshett, which is it, a SNAFU or a FUBAR" he inquired, deliberately drawing the "U" in the latter acronym so that it came out FUUUUUUUUUBAR.

"Your Honor, my client is currently experiencing some difficulties and would not be able to come to New York City to retrieve his property" Forshett explained.

"And you would like me to have the NYPD what, ship it to him? I'm not sure that FEDEX or UPS would courier 18 million in cash, would they?" He inquired of the attorneys who all tried to keep from busting out in laughter.

"Your honor, if it please the Court" McCoy stated as he rose.

"It would very much please the Court if you were to explain just what is going on here Mr. former District Attorney" the Judge stated with a gleam in his eye as he leaned forward and rested his chin on his steepled fingertips.

"Simply put your Honor, Mr. Phillips is wanted by the United States Navy for desertion. He currently resides in Mexico and under penalty of arrest, Courts-Martial, and confinement, cannot enter the jurisdiction of the United States" McCoy pompously stated.

"Mr. Forshett" The Judge stated.

"Yes your Honor?" Forshett inquired.

"For both the record and your professional edification, your client's present circumstances would qualify as a colossus FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBAR" He stated which again brought everyone else present to tears from laughter.

Jack Boyle stood up as he wiped the tears out of his eyes. "Your honor, perhaps I may offer a solution"

"Make it a good one Mr. Boyle" The judge dared.

"The seized property could be transported to a point on the southern border where Mr. Phillips could take possession without having to physically enter the United States".

"I have no authority to demand that the funds be delivered outside of the United States" the Judge countered.

"Correct your Honor, the funds could be placed on a pallet or whatever, and deposited so that they were right up against the U.S. side of the border on a major crossing, such as a bridge." Boyle stated.

"That Mr. Boyle is a very logical solution" the Judge replied.

Frank leaned over and whispered something to McCoy, who then stood up. "Your Honor".

"Mr. McCoy" the Judge acknowledged.

"Your Honor, the New York City Police Department is not equipped, nor does it have the jurisdictional authority to transport the seized property to the southern border" McCoy stated.

"But the DEA does Your Honor" Boyle quickly replied.

"Indeed it does" the Judge stated as he looked directly at Saperstein.

Saperstein stood up. "Your Honor, the NYPD has custody of the seized property".

"That Mr. Saperstein, is something that I can remedy so, I am placing the following addendum to my Order. The New York City Police Department, shall within 24 hours subsequent to its receipt of the Court's written Order, surrender the seized property into the custody of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, who shall with the aid, support, and assistance of such federal agency or agencies as it may elect for such purpose, transport such seized property to a point contiguous to, but in no instance beyond, the International boundary line between the United States and the Country of Mexico, at a point to be determined in the sole discretion of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency" The Judge ordered.

"Your Honor" Forshett inquired.

"Yes Mr. Forshett" He replied.

"Would the Court be so kind as to place a deadline as to when this must transpire, otherwise the DEA could hold onto my client's property _ad infinitum_ " Forshett stated.

The Judge shot Forshett a slitty eyed stare before continuing. "It is further Ordered that the United States Drug Enforcement Agency shall execute the Order of this Court no later than 10 days from the issuance of this Court's written Order, which for the record, the Court will draft and publish to counsel tomorrow. Now, is there anything else that we need to cover?" He inquired.

"No your Honor" Forshett stated.

"Then this Court stands in recess" The judge stated before flying off the bench and out the back door and this time, the bailiff didn't even bother to order all to rise.

Danny caught a ride with Jack Boyle back to the Five-Four. As his tour was almost for the day, he decided to forego heading in and went directly to the parking lot to retrieve his jeep. At this time of day, he would just about make it out to Long Island City before 5:00 p.m.

Liberty Commerce Bank

42-25 Queens Blvd.

Long Island City

Queens, NY

4:40 p.m.

Danny pulled up to the corner of 43rd Street and Queens Blvd. Fortunately, there was a parking spot only two spaces from the front door of his destination.

Linda did all the family banking so he rarely if ever went to a bank unless he needed change, which he could get at any financial institution in Manhattan, or at any bodega for that matter. This particular bank was where Linda had established her accounts prior to meeting Danny and once married, he agreed it was best for her to continue that relationship.

He got of his Jeep and slowly walked up to the bank before he stopped. The last time he entered this branch was in January of 2015 when he and Linda went to refinance their mortgage, and while they argued with the manager who had declined their refinance, the bank was robbed by four former members of a United States Army striker team who were going to use the money to pay for an operation for their fifth member, because the Veterans Administration had dropped the ball and the poor guy wasn't being taken care of. As a veteran himself, this pissed Danny off but he still had a job to do so as a cop he solved the case and as a Marine, he went above and beyond and arranged for the damaged veteran to receive the medical care he required.

Danny slowly entered the bank and was greeted by the same officious manager who had declined his refi two and a half years before.

"Detective Reagan, how are you?" He inquired.

"Just great, thanks" Danny replied.

"And Mrs. Reagan?" He inquired.

Danny hesitated a moment before continuing. "My wife died in a helicopter accident last month" He replied.

"My God, I'm so sorry to hear that" he replied and if it weren't for the genuine look of shock on his face, Danny would have given him a verbal tune up.

"Are you here about your refinance?" He inquired

"No, our house was fire bombed by a drug cartel three weeks before my wife was killed so I don't exactly have a house to refinance" Danny dug deeper.

By now, the man knew to keep his mouth shut.

"What I do need, is access to our safety deposit box" Danny said as he presented the key.

"Of course, please, come this way" the now humbled manager replied.

"Linda would so chew me out for treating him this way but the prick deserves it" Danny smiled inwardly because even after Danny solved the robbery and the money was returned, the bank still denied their refinance application.

Danny was led into the vault where he signed the requisite documents which matched the signature he had previously provided by way of Linda. The manager inserted the master key into one of the two locks and Danny's key into the other. He then lifted the box out and walked with Danny to a cubicle located just outside the vault.

"Please, take your time and just let me know when you're ready to replace the box, and again, my condolences, your wife was a lovely woman" He stated.

"Thanks" Danny replied. "Just not lovely enough for you to approve our application you prick" He said to himself.

Once the manager left, Danny looked at the box. He never knew why Linda had rented such a large box when all they needed was something to hold a few pieces of paper but he had given up a long time ago trying to figure her out. He opened the lid and reached in expecting for his hand to go to the bottom and the documents he expected to find but when it grabbed onto a gun holster instead, Danny pulled out his portable flashlight and shined the beam inside and what he saw rocked him to his core.


	26. Chapter 26

Thursday, June 15, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Mexico

3:25 p.m.

Sam hung up the phone, hiked his 6'4" frame from behind his desk, and walked over to speak with El Jefe.

"Just got off the phone with the Abogato. Court ruled in our favor. DEA has to return the entire 18 million dollars no later than 10 days from tomorrow" Sam announced.

"Ten days, why do we wait 10 days" Espinoza complained.

"Renaldo, the Court ruled your way so take your victory lap" Sam stated

"So where are they bringing the money to?" Espinoza inquired.

"The Abogato said that the Court ordered the DEA to bring the money up to the international boundary, but not to cross over into Mexico, so most likely, at one of the border crossings".

"I want the money delivered in Mexico" Espinoza demanded.

"Not going to happen, the DEA will not cross the border, that's why the Court ordered them to put it right up against the international boundary line which is on all the bridges" Sam replied. "We will know more once the shipment is on its way" Sam concluded.

"Okay, I'll do what you say, just get me my money back" Espinoza responded.

"Aye Aye El Jefe" Sam stated as he snapped out a crisp U.S. Navy salute and executed a perfect 180 degree about face before marching out of El Jefe's office.

"And knock off the sarcasm or you may find yourself back in the Navy saluting your jailers" Espinoza shouted out to Sam's broad retreating back.

"And not too long from now you may find my size 13 boot so far up your ass you'll have my toes for teeth" Sam smiled to himself.

Thursday, June 15, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

5:42 p.m.

Danny walked into the house, his right hand gripping a large canvas bank bag. "Dad home yet?" he inquired of his two siblings who were sitting at the dining room table.

"Probably on his way by now" Erin answered. "Pops took the boys and Nicky out for dinner, said he needed some GG time before they got to the point where they no longer had time for him"

"Like that would ever happen, they all adore that old tank too much" Danny responded.

"What'd you do, rob a bank?" Jamie inquired in reference to the bag.

"Emptied the safety deposit box" Danny replied as he placed the bag on the table and sat down.

"Looks kind of heavy, what did you two store in it?" Erin inquired.

"First of all, I never saw it until today. Linda's the one who handled the banking and what I expected to find was what you usually keep in a bank box, such as birth certificates, deed to the house, car titles" Danny replied.

"I don't think those documents would be that bulky" Jamie replied.

Danny reached into the bag and withdrew the holstered gun. "My Glock 26 off duty" he began.

"I thought you kept that in your lock box at home" Erin inquired.

"Didn't you report that to IA as lost in the fire?" Jamie inquired.

Next Danny began pulling out small box after small box and placing them in a particular order on the table. Then he withdrew official looking folders which he laid on the table. Finally, he pulled out the documents he has originally hoped to find including the title to the now destroyed family house.

"Go ahead kid, open the top one" Danny said while pointing to the largest box at the top.

Jamie opened it and his mouth dropped. "The Navy Cross" he stated in awe at the import of what that medal meant and what Danny had done to earn it. The pride he felt for his brother was immeasurable.

Erin reached for a smaller box in the middle of the pile and opened it. "The NYPD Medal of Honor" she similarly stated.

"Every medal that I ever earned in the Corps or on the force, I kept them in a box in the spare bedroom closet, along with those" Danny stated while pointing to the pile of official looking documents.

Erin picked up the top one and opened it:

The bold letterhead immediately caught her eye:

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

Washington, D.C.

"Its dated 25NOV04" Erin began.

" _To Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan, United States Marine Corps_.

" _For your actions during Operation Phantom Fury, 24NOV04 at which time you exhibited conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, in combat with the enemy, that best exemplify the traditions of the United States Marine Corps and the United States of America. Wherefore, you have been nominated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to receive the Medal of Honor on such date and at such time to be determined by the President of the United States. Congratulations Gunnery Sergeant Reagan_ , and then it is signed by the Secretary" Erin proudly concluded.

"My God" Frank stated from behind them, causing all three to turn to him.

"Yeah" Danny replied.

"Danny, if you had all of this stored in your closet, then when and why did Linda put it in your safety deposit box?" Erin inquired.

"I can answer the when" Danny stated. "According to the bank, she last accessed the box at 1:55 p.m. on the afternoon our house was firebombed.

"And the answer to why is because Joe had warned her what would happen that night so she removed your most important and precious items from the house before hand" Frank stated.

"My most important and precious items were her and the boys, I never cared about this, stuff" Danny replied as he swung his arm above his medals.

"You may not have, but to Linda, the actions that earned you this 'stuff' as you call it, is what molded you into the man she loved" Erin reminded him.

"Linda held onto all of this because if one day it was you who never came home, this would be all that she had left to show Jack and Sean the man their father was" Jamie stated.

"And what kind of a man is that?" Henry stated as he, Nicky, Jack, and Sean entered the dining room, having just returned from dinner.

Frank looked directly into Danny's deep dark eyes. "A true American hero, in every sense of the word" he stated with pride.

"Dad, what's all this stuff?" Sean asked.

"This isn't 'stuff' Sean, these are medals awarded your father both as a Marine and a cop and tonight is probably a good time for him to tell you what each one means and how he earned them" Jamie noted while looking directly at Danny who nodded back.

"I want to hear about them too" Henry stated but Erin pulled him away from the table before he could take a seat.

"Later Pops, right now Danny needs some time with his sons" She insisted.


	27. Chapter 27

Friday, June 16, 2017

One Police Plaza

14th Floor

Manhattan, NY

11:15 a.m.

Jack McCoy walked into Frank's office holding a ream of papers.

"Judge just published his ruling and his Order" McCoy stated as he dropped into the chair facing the P.C.

Frank reviewed the Order and nodded.

"My grandson's graduation ceremony is tomorrow and I'm not missing it to be here. We'll turn the cash over to the DEA on Sunday or Monday" He stated.

"I just bear the Order, it's up to you to execute it" McCoy stated as he rose. "Keep me in the loop Commissioner" he smiled as he waved and headed out the office door.

"Baker" Frank shouted out.

"Yes Sir?" His trust aid inquired upon entering his office.

"Please get Special Agent Molina on the line for me" He ordered.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Miller Field

Staten Island, NY

11:11 a.m.

"Jack Francis Reagan" Jack's now former high school principal read aloud.

Danny snapped out of his trance hearing his son's name and sat up straight as he proudly watched his eldest walk across the stage to receive his high school diploma.

Erin, seated to Danny's right, put her hand through his arm and leaned into her brother.

"Linda would be so proud right now" Danny softly stated.

"She's watching from a better viewpoint than we are" Erin replied.

Danny looked to his left and noticed that Sean seemed to be off his game. Normally one who was excited at his elder brother's accomplishments, Sean was quiet, almost introspective at the moment.

"You okay?" Danny inquired.

"Just thinking, first Mom, and in a couple of months, Jack will be gone" Sean replied.

"Yeah, but then it'll be just you and me and think of all the fun we're gonna have" Danny grinned.

"And with Nicky and Jack both away, that leaves you to keep me company" Erin informed Sean.

"And what about our card games kiddo, you'll have my undivided attention at teaching you my vast collection of tricks" Pops noted Sean's other side.

"You mean how you manage to cheat and get away with it" Danny replied.

"Just you and I fishin" Frank informed Sean.

"I have a feeling that Sean isn't going to have enough time in the day to become bored, lonely, or to even miss Jack all that much" Jamie stated.

"True dat" Danny replied, knowing what surprise awaited all the kids, assuming of course they could pull it off.

"It's not like we'll never see him, Princeton's only a seventy-five minute drive from Brooklyn" Nicky said.

"Hit the shower Bro, you smell like New Jersey" Sean laughed.

After the ceremony ended and Jack had been given enough time to say his goodbyes to his friends, the Reagan family headed over to an outdoor restaurant to celebrate Jack and his accomplishment. Danny leaned against the outer deck rail as he looked at his sons and Nicky. Erin noticed and walked over to him and leaned against the rail to his right.

"Two down, one to go" She noted.

"I still remember the first time I held Nicky. The beginning of the next generation of Reagans and I wondered what it would be like when I finally held one of my own. 20 years ago things were going so well for this family. Jamie was a year older than Sean is now pulling straight A's and playing varsity basketball and baseball; Joe was a newly minted NYPD cop with a degree from John Jay; You were starting your career as a kick ass prosecutor; And I had my gold shield and had met the woman of my dreams. Not long after our world starts to turn to shit" Danny surmised as he took a swig of his beer.

"You can't look at it that way Danny" Erin warned.

"What other way is there? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for my boys and for Linda, but look at all the loss. First it was Mom's parents, then grandma Betty, and then Mom followed by your divorce and then Joe and now Linda" He replied. "First Nicky, and then Jack, and finally Sean, they'll all move away at some point, begin careers and families of their own. These days, nobody stays home like we did, they go where the money and the action is". He said.

"You're afraid to grow old alone" Erin opined.

"I guess so, I mean, I always thought that Linda would be here with me and to see the boys grow too" He stated.

"Danny, in time you'll find someone else to love. Until then, you know that you're never alone" She replied whilst dragging him back to the table at which the remaining Reagans were seated.

Monday, June 19, 2017

One Police Plaza

Underground Garage

Manhattan, NY

9:50 a.m.

"Open it" Frank ordered the ESU Captain, who in turn nodded to his subordinate officer.

The distinct pop, followed by the whoosh sound of an acetylene oxygen torch being lit was heard accompanied by the bright bluish white light of the flame which emanated from the torch tip.

The NYPD had a vast underground garage system including one area separated from the remainder of the space. It had its own overhead door entrance along with a single metal passenger door which permitted access to it. In the corner of the room was a single office with a large safe which had been brought in on the tines of a fork lift. Inside the safe was the 18 million dollars in confiscated cash.

Even with the safe, Frank elected to avoid the temptation by anyone to supplement their NYPD pension or personal retirement fund, so to secure the room, he had ordered the large overhead door padlocked from inside, and then had ESU weld a bar across both the door into the room that contained the safe, as well as the metal passenger door that led to this section of the garage.

As a final precaution, TARU had wired motion sensors and cameras in the room containing the safe which was monitored 24/7.

Once the bar was removed, ten ESU officers entered the garage. While one cut away the bar to permit access to the safe, another unlocked the padlocks affixed to the overhead door's manual locking mechanism.

The safe itself required both the use of a special key and a combination to gain entry. Frank had the combination but not the key which he had provided to his FDNY counterpart, Stan Rourke and by doing so, removed any possible innuendo that Frank or one of his sons could dip into safe's valuable contents.

Frank and Rourke entered the room behind the ESU officers. Once the room holding the safe was accessible, the two commissioners walked in.

The ESU Captain got on his two-way radio, established contact confirmation, and then ordered one of his men to open the large overhead door.

Once the door had cleared enough space, an unmarked bank truck owned by the DEA entered the garage followed by two unmarked Crown Vics, which held Special Agent Veronica Molina, her supervisor, and six armed DEA Special Agents.

The back door of the bank truck opened to reveal two heavily armed agents, each of whom exited with a portable money counter which they set up on a portable table next to the safe.

Once all persons were assembled, Frank entered the 9-digit combination after which Rourke inserted and turned the special key and opened the safe.

In addition to all the NYPD and DEA personnel, Frank had asked Rourke to bring three additional FDNY members as witnesses that the funds had in fact been fully transferred to the DEA. An aerial operator from Ladder 142 in Queens, a Battalion Chief from Brooklyn, and the chauffer of Rescue 3 which covered the Bronx-Harlem area of the city, none of whom knew of or had worked with Frank, Danny, or Jamie, observed as one by one, 1,800 wrapped bundles each marked as holding ten thousand dollars were removed from the safe and run through the two counters.

After almost an hour, the count was completed. "18 million dollars on the dot" one of the DEA Agents stated to Molina and Supervisory Special Agent Valentine Corradi, who produced a flashlight as he performed a final inspection on the safe's interior to insure there were no stragglers.

Once he was satisfied that the safe was empty, Corradi ordered two of the DEA Agents to stack the counted cash on a 16"x 20" wooden pallet that had been unloaded from the bank truck.

The bills were all $100 in denomination. 100 bills comprised a $10,000 bundle. $1 Million equaled 100 bundles of $10,000, so $18 Million equaled 1,800 bundles.

Each $100 bill measured 6.14" x 2.61" x .0043" in thickness, with a bundle of $10,000 measuring .43" and weighing 3.57 ounces.

This permitted the DEA Agents to stack the money on the pallet six bundles across, three bundles front to back, and 100 stacks deep which brought the total measurement of the cash to 16"x 20" x 43".

Once all the cash was loaded on, it was shrink wrapped to the pallet.

The cash weighed 400 pounds but it was virtually weightless to the FDNY's burly ladder man and the chauffeur, who along with 2 equally sized ESU officers and 2 well built DEA agents, manually placed the pallet into the bank truck.

Frank produced the formal receipt transferring custody of the seized property from the NYPD to the DEA as per the Court Order and both Corradi and Molina signed on behalf of the DEA.

Molina walked over to Frank and pulled him aside.

"Do we have a plan yet?" She inquired.

"My house, seven p.m. tonight" He replied.

"What do you guys like on your pizza?" Molina smiled.

Five minutes later the garage was once again empty as the seized funds were enroute to the DEA's secure storage facility on the lower west side of Manhattan.

Monday, June 19, 2017:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY.

7:00 p.m.

DEA Special Agents Molina and Corradi arrived at Frank's house precisely at 7:00 p.m. and as promised, brought boxes of Brooklyn slices with them.

Henry had taken the boys out for dinner and a movie, and Nicky was out with her friends. This left Frank, the three siblings, and the two DEA Agents.

Once all had had a slice, conversation turned to how the DEA was going to return the funds and safely retrieve its most clandestine agent.

"I just might have a solution" Jamie nodded as he placed a folder of papers alongside of his computer.

He placed printed photos on the table. "Officially known as 'The Good Neighbor Bridge', the El Paso locals call it 'The Stanton Street Bridge'. Unlike the other three bridges between El Paso and Juarez, this one has a unique quirk to it that may work for us.

"What's that?" Danny inquired.

"It's a four lane bridge, but only one lane runs north from Mexico to the U.S. On the west side there is a barrier separating the north bound lane from the three southbound lanes and on the east side, there is a pedestrian walkway with a metal barrier preventing anyone from jumping into north bound traffic".

Special Agent Corradi nodded as he followed along. "I see what you're driving at here, but the fact is, we still have to place that pallet up against the international boundary, so how does all of this help with grabbing up the Espinozas and safely retrieving your brother?" He inquired.

"What the eyes see, the ear hears, and the mind believes" Jamie replied. "Harry Houdini".

Erin began nodding. "You want to play an illusion on them, make them think they are still in Mexico when they aren't" She stated.

Jamie nodded "Yep, and here's how we are going to do it" He grinned as he began to explain.

Once he had finished explaining his plan, the five other people in the room all agreed that it was brilliant. The Feds would begin enlisting the help they would need to execute it however, Joe would have to be brought in on the plan which would require Jackie to make one more trip to Juarez which shouldn't be a problem as the Espinozas already knew about her, and just enough time had elapsed from her past visit that it would look like she had returned for a routine date with Sam.

"Per the Court Order, the money must be delivered no later than one week from today" Erin reminded everyone.

"This should go down on Sunday morning, 4:00 a.m. Central Time" Jamie stated before explaining: "Most people have been out drinking and by then are asleep. It's still dark out, and we can cut power to the bridge lights and the nearby area on the U.S. side. We want to keep their senses off balance as much as we can and studies show this is the time of day most people are vulnerable to sleep deprivation and anxiety" he concluded.

"Interested in working for the DEA?" Corradi asked Jamie.

"No way, you've already stolen one brother from me. You can't have this one too" Danny said.

"What if we make it a package deal? Take all three" Molina stated.

"Sorry, these two remain with me and I want their brother returned as well" Frank sternly replied.

"Can't blame a girl for trying" Molina smiled before turning to Jamie and Danny. "I presume you two will want to join us in El Paso"

"Not only them, I'm coming too" Erin made clear.

Frank began to pipe up but Molina stopped him. "They can slip out of town for a day or two, but no way can you go. If it got out that you were anywhere near Texas, let alone El Paso, it could put blow the entire operation and get Joe killed" she made clear.

Frank nodded as the last thing he wanted to do was put Joe in danger when he was so close to having him back.

"Just remember Special Agents that I want all four of my children returned to me, unharmed".

"You have our word Commissioner" Corradi replied.

"I'll have to accept that for now" Frank acknowledged.


	28. Chapter 28

Wednesday, June 21, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

11:17 p.m.

Sam followed Isabella into her hotel room. To prying eyes, it would look like it did any other time Sam had spent the evening wining and dining a beautiful woman. The man had the frustrating ability to always wind up getting laid.

She had worn a different outfit but did not attempt to disguise herself. To anyone concerned, this would appear to be exactly what it was. An encore performance.

Gareldo just couldn't understand how the man bagged so much chocha but then again, he was still trying to define the term "day care".

Sam had noticed Gareldo following him from the bar, to the restaurant, and now into the hotel. Once they were in the bathroom with the shower running, Isabella, who couldn't help but also notice, inquired as to the fat ugly runt.

"Gareldo Espinoza, number two and younger brother of Renaldo" He replied.

"Sticks out like a sore thumb" She noted.

"Tradecraft, like just about everything else, isn't one of Gareldo's strong points" Sam informed her. "Behind his back, his brother and cousin call him 'The Retard'".

Isabella quickly caught Sam up on the plan along with the timing. "Sometime tomorrow, The City of El Paso, which owns the U.S. side of the Stanton Street Bridge, will announce its closure from sometime Saturday night until Sunday morning for repair work. This will provide the cover needed to conduct the operation".

Sam nodded his acknowledgement "Renaldo will insist on being there and he's going to want to bring his cousin, Victor Hermenez who is the real number two".

"I thought you said Gareldo was second in command" Isabella inquired.

"Think of it like the Godfather when Michael made Fredo his underboss, but in reality, Fredo had no power. Same thing with Gareldo. Hermenez is the real number two and handles the day to day operations. Unlike Renaldo who is paranoid on his best day, and Gareldo who is just plain stupid, Hermenez is sharp as a tack and the only person I have to watch myself around. He's never fully trusted me because in his opinion, if I could betray the navy, I could just as easily betray the cartel. Also, he served with distinction in the Mexican special forces so he is trained and understands loyalty to one's country, oath, and fellow soldiers. He has no respect for a deserter" Sam responded.

"So you'll have a target on your back" She stated.

"He's the first one that should be taken out if things go south" He replied.

"I'll pass that along" She stated.

"Any other news?" He inquired.

"Nothing. Your family sends their love and they are very excited to be reunited with you" She replied, being careful not to spoil the surprise that would be awaiting him in El Paso.

"I'm still not sure what I am going to say to them" He shamefully responded.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, they are damned proud of you and know the risks you took to break up dozens of cartel operations over the past eight years" Jackie informed him.

"Still, if Linda hadn't died they wouldn't know that I was still alive. This could have gone on another few years until I finally demanded out" He stated.

"All things happen for a reason so stop letting it mess with your head and get your head in the game, now, how about we hit the shower" She replied.

"You go first" Sam said as he began to open the door, only to be stopped by her hand on his arm.

"I said 'we'" She seductively smiled as she began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Are you sure about this?" Joe asked.

"I've wanted to do this since the day I met you but you were my partner's brother and my boss's son which made you double taboo but now that I'm no longer NYPD, you are fair game and since I have you for the entire night, I intend to make the most of it" She malevolently grinned as she stared at his muscular chest and eight pack abs.

"Far be it for me to disappoint a woman so intent on doing her duty" Joe smiled.

"You do have one bad habit you share with Danny" She stated.

"Which is?" He asked

"You talk too much" She replied as she pulled down his pants without first bothering to loosen them.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

7:30 a.m.

If anyone from the cartel were watching Sam the following morning, they would have noted that he exited the hotel elevator and entered the restaurant arm in arm with this mysterious beautiful woman.

They spent 45 minutes having a leisurely meal before parting company with a very public display of affection after which she headed back up to her room as he began the walk back to his truck.

Sam walked into his office at 8:30 a.m.

No sooner had he seated himself than his cellphone began to ring. Based on the caller I.D., he knew it was Dominic Forshett.

"Ola Mr. Forshett" Sam answered.

"Hello Mr. Phillips, I have very good news for you" Forshett replied.

Sam got up from his desk and walked out of his office in search of Renaldo but the only person present beside himself was Victor Hermenez.

Sam caught Hermenez's attention and waived him over. "Our attorney in New York" he whispered as he put the call on speaker.

"Tell me the good news" Sam instructed.

"The DEA will deliver your property to you on the Stanton Street Bridge at four a.m. this Sunday. It will be on a 16x20 pallet and will be placed so that it touches the international boundary line, but the DEA will not place any part of the pallet into Mexico" He stated.

"So how do we get the pallet?" Sam inquired.

"You reach under and pull it to you. Also, you will have to sign a receipt for the property but that only requires that you reach across to receive the clip board. If your feet remain on the Mexican side of the border, you're legally still in Mexico and exempt from U.S. military law." Forshett stated.

"How does the DEA plan on delivering this to us on what is a very busy international boundary crossing?" Sam inquired.

"I have been informed that sometime today, it will be announced that the bridge will be closed for repairs from Saturday night until Sunday morning" Forshett replied.

"How much does this pallet and the cash weigh?" Sam inquired.

"Hold on, let me look that up" Forshett stated. "According to the DEA's Bill of Lading, 458 pounds".

"I'm a pretty strong guy, but I can't muscle that kind of dead weight across the border by myself. I'll have to bring help" Sam replied.

"Bring who you need, but keep it to a minimum and show no weapons. The DEA Agents will be armed to protect the property. Nobody wants this to escalate beyond the simple transfer of property" Forshett stated.

"Where on the bridge will the property be placed?" Sam inquired.

"That's up to the DEA to decide. Their Agents can place it anywhere in between the bridge rails that they want and remain in compliance with the Court's Order as long as the edge of the pallet is against the international boundary line" Forshett responded.

"And what if I don't like what I see when I get there, or if I refuse the DEA's location of delivery?" Sam asked, not for himself as he couldn't care less. This was for Hermenez's benefit, to make it look like Sam was suspicious and not simply going along with the plan.

"Then it would be within the DEA's right to claim you waived delivery and as such, they would pack the money up and return it to New York where the only legal challenge remaining would be between the NYPD and the DEA as to who got how much of it" Forshett answered.

"What if we sued again demanding better delivery terms" Sam inquired.

"If you fail to take delivery on Sunday morning, my belief is that this Judge, who is still the judge of record in this matter, would grant a motion for what is called "Estoppel By Waiver" meaning that since you walked away from the property at the time it was expressly provided to you, you have forever waived your right to possession" He concluded.

"So for now, I wait until four a.m. Sunday" Sam remarked.

"If I receive notice of any alterations in the arrangements, I will of course immediately contact you" Forshett concluded.

"Thank you Mr. Forshett" Sam stated before disconnecting.

Hermenez looked over at Sam: "What are you thinking?" He inquired.

"That if we want the money, we have to go get it their way".

"They can't just grab us up?" Hermenez asked.

"Not if we stay on the Mexico side of the line. If they remove us from Mexico, then it's an unlawful arrest and the U.S. and Mexico require formal extradition processes be employed for that purpose.

"Maybe we're better to have some of our men get the money while we wait back here" Hermenez stated.

Sam gave him a quizzical look. "And all this time I thought that you were smarter than Gareldo"

"What do you mean by that?" Hermenez inquired.

"Sure Victor, why don't we let four or five of our soldiers walk up to 18 million dollars. Oh, and by the way, trust them to bring it back to us, and either not run off with it themselves, or, make a deal at the border with the DEA to hand them our asses in return for the 18 Mil sitting right there in front of them. I have to be there to sign for it and I want you and Renaldo there as well because if something bad happens, I don't want you thinking that I stole your precious money" Sam almost shouted.

Hermenez patted Sam on the shoulder "Calm down Sam, I agree with you. We'll bring Gareldo as well as it will take all four of us to pull that pallet across the border and load it on our truck. Once we're off the bridge, we can have another two trucks form a convoy to protect us until we get the money to a safe place".

"Good" Sam stated.

"But just to be safe, I think that it's a good idea for you and I to remain within each other's sight until the money is on our side of the border. No strange women or hotel rooms until after Sunday" Hermenez ordered.

"Eight years and you still don't trust me" Sam stated.

"I don't trust Renaldo, and I sure as hell don't trust Gareldo who are the sons of my mother's younger brother, so don't take it personally that I don't trust a Gringo who deserted his country. We aren't going to tell El Jefe and the Retard the full plan until we are ready to cross onto that bridge Sunday morning, that way we maintain operational security". Hermenez stated.

Sam nodded in agreement. It was a good thing that he had spent the previous night with Isabella because from this point forward, he would be precluded from doing so.

At 5:00 p.m. that evening, the local news announced that the Good Neighbor International Bridge would be closed to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic between the El Paso terminus and the international boundary line from 10:00 p.m. Saturday night until 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Required maintenance was cited as the reason for the closure.

As a result of this announcement, the Mexican government, which owned the south half of the bridge, announced two hours later that due to construction on the United States side, the bridge would be closed to all traffic on their side as well during the same time period, exactly as Jamie predicted when he had presented his plan because he had no doubt that Renaldo would bribe his way onto the bridge from the Mexican side, making that one truck the only vehicle they would have to contain.


	29. Chapter 29

Thursday, June 22, 2017:

Wyndham El Paso Hotel and Water Park

El Paso, Texas

5:49 p.m.

Jackie logged onto the private secured network provided her by the Department of Homeland Security. On the other end, Frank Reagan answered his secured feed.

"Agent Curtola" He smiled.

"Commissioner" She smiled back.

"Danny, Jamie, Erin, Pops, Special Agent Molina, and SSA Corradi are here with me" Frank advised.

"Our boy has been advised of the plan and is ready" She stated.

"How is he otherwise?" Erin inquired.

Jackie blushed "He's doing great, just biding his time until this is over" She stated. "Said to tell you that he loves you and can't wait to see everyone soon. Danny, he wants me to get him something called a K-Bar".

Danny noticed Jackie's blush and smiled. During their time as partners, she had admitted once or twice that she would like to get to know Joe better, but for the reason she told Joe, that wasn't possible

"I know what it is and I'll bring one with me" Danny replied.

Jackie answered a few more questions regarding Joe before the conversation turned to the upcoming plan.

"He is going to try to have the cartel's top three bosses present. Brothers Renaldo Espinoza, Gareldo Espinoza, and their cousin, Victor Hermenez who is the one Joe is most concerned about and apparently remains suspicious of him. According to Joe, Gareldo is another Fredo Corleone and while he holds the title of underboss Hermenez, who is ex-Mexican Special Forces, is the _de-facto_ number two" She informed everyone.

"Good information Special Agent Curtola" Molina replied.

After a few more pleasantries, Jackie signed off. She would remain in El Paso for the next 24 hours before boarding a plane for Denver, Colorado where she would lay over before returning Monday morning to New York City. The idea behind her upcoming travels was to ensure that she appeared to be who she portrayed, a single woman who while on a business trip to El Paso and had met Sam while enjoying a night on the town in Juarez, and who had later returned for the same reason.

She disconnected the secured laptop and ran a special magnet across it, thereby degaussing the hard drive which she then removed and placed in her purse. When she left her hotel room, she would pass the now functionless equipment to a local DHS agent who would dispose of it.

In this manner, if she were ever captured by the Cartel, there would be no connection to the Reagans as her current cell phone held no information which would be of any use.

Friday, June 23, 2017:

Offices of the District Attorney of New York County

Louis J. Lefkowitz State Office Building

80 Centre Street

Manhattan, NY

6:49 p.m.

Erin took the elevator from her office floor to the underground garage level and walked over to her Volvo. At the same time, a non-descript gray 2017 Chevrolet Traverse pulled up behind her. She opened the trunk on the Volvo and withdrew a small carry on suit case and a carry on bag. She locked the Volvo and walked over to the Traverse where she placed her items into the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat.

"Identification please" the female DEA Agent requested, prompting Erin to produce her New York State Driver's License, New York State Pistol Carry License, and Assistant District Attorney credentials, as previously agreed to with Special Agent Molina".

"Thank you ADA Reagan" The Agent replied after examining the identification.

They rode in silence as Erin was transported 85 miles from her office garage to Atlantic Aviation at Northeast Philadelphia Airport located 28 miles northeast of Philadelphia International.

Upon arrival, Erin boarded a private jet belonging to a friend of Frank's and was whisked through the night skies to Tucson, Arizona where she would remain until Saturday afternoon at which time the DEA would transport her via Interstates 10 and 25 four and a half hours east to a safehouse located in Castner Heights, a subdivision on the north side of El Paso near Biggs Army Airfield, where Danny would be flying into late Saturday night on a DEA Citation X along with the 18 Million dollars, a team of DEA Special Agents, and an ATF Special Response Team borrowed for their tactical proficiency.

Upon arrival into Biggs, Danny would be covertly transported to the same safehouse.

Jamie, the least recognized Reagan sibling, would fly commercially departing Saturday afternoon from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York to the Albuquerque International Sunport in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after which he would endure a three-and-a-half-hour chauffeured ride south on Interstate 25 to the same safehouse in Castner Heights.

By breaking up the three siblings and assigning them different travel itineraries, it was believed that nobody would recognize or pay them any special attention, let alone tie their travel to the same general part of the country where the DEA's operation against the Mano Sangriento Cartel would take place Sunday morning.

Frank had vehemently insisted that the FBI be kept out of the loop as none of the Reagans had trusted that agency since it was discovered that Agent Anderson had been working with the Blue Templar, and had likely been involved in Joe's "murder" and the attempted murder of Jamie. Since there was no way of knowing whether there remained corrupt FBI Agents involved with Mano Sangriento, he would not risk Joe's life or those of his other three children by the DEA's involvement of that agency.

Both SSA Corradi and Special Agent Molina concurred as they had their own trust issues with the Bureau.

Saturday, June 24, 2017:

The U.S. side of The Good Neighbor International Bridge

El Paso, Texas

10:00 p.m.

At exactly 10:00 p.m., all lights on and around the United States side of the bridge were turned off. In response, the Mexican side of the bridge went dark as well as did the area immediately around it.

By darkening their side, the Mexican's had unknowingly just improved the odds of pulling off Jamie's plan by tenfold.

A United States Army truck borrowed from Ft. Bliss, located just south of Biggs Military Airfield, backed its way down the single lane towards Mexico stopping at the international boundary line between the two countries. A team of burly enlisted men promptly disembarked the truck and erected a barrier that closed the single northbound lane. At the same time, two other trucks deposited additional enlisted men who performed the same task on the three southbound lanes. Another group of enlisted men barricaded the passenger walk way.

After this had been accomplished a special detachment from the Army's construction battalion, flown into Biggs just for this purpose, went to work. When they completed their mission three hours later, only the very trained eye would notice the modifications performed to the bridge.

The barriers blocking the passenger walkway and all four lanes of the bridge were then realigned, with a four foot wide opening deliberately remaining in the center of the middle southbound lane.

The army trucks and all army personnel then departed and staged two blocks north of the bridge until it was time to restore the bridge to its prior condition.

Next, the ATF's Special Response Team took up their previously agreed upon position on the bridge as did several DEA Special Agents.

At 3:45 a.m., a single Army truck drove south on the bridge and just short of the barricades, made a U-turn before backing up to the four-foot-wide space between the barriers.

The hydraulic ramp was lowered from the vertical position covering the back of the truck, to a horizontal position even with the interior of the truck bed which permitted four big Army Sergeants to push the pallet containing the 18 million dollars onto the bed of ramp which they lowered to ground level.

Finally, under the supervision of an Army Lieutenant Colonel, they pushed the pallet forward until its foremost 20" long edge touched the north edge of the six inch wide yellow line painted on the roadbed that signified the international boundary with Mexico.

Satisfied that the order of the Court had been carried out to the letter, the Lt. Colonel ordered his men back into the truck which then pulled ahead 50 feet where they remained.

Finally, SSA Corradi, Special Agent Molina, and four additional DEA Special Agents lined up immediately behind the pallet on the U.S. side of the boundary line, with Corradi holding the clipboard containing the document Sam Phillips would be required to sign.

All that was needed now was for Sam and the Mexicans to show.

Molina looked at her watch. Twelve minutes to go.

"Remember, the big tall bald guy is a friendly". She spoke loud enough so that all would receive her.

"Alpha One, confirmed. The leader of the lead Special Response Team replied.

"Bravo One, confirmed. The leader of the second squad announced.

"Charlie One, confirmed. The leader of the third squad stated.

Then the secreted DEA Agents confirmed.

"Now what?" One of the Special Agents standing to Molina's left inquired.

"Now we wait" Corradi replied as a warm early morning breeze brought notice of a hot day to come.

Sunday, June 25, 2017:

Ciudad, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

1:30 a.m.

Joe looked one last time around the place he had called home for most of the past 8 years. There wasn't much he was going to miss other than his boots, hats, and most of all, his classic Chevy El Camino, which like his Chevelle, he had put a lot of work and love into, however, he supposed these items could be collected for him after tomorrow morning's event had concluded.

"Damn, I miss that car" he said to himself as he recalled those days in Brooklyn where his silver beauty brought him a lot of wanted female attention.

He mentally smacked himself. "Joe Reagan is dead, I am Sam Phillips" he said to himself, for the most dangerous thing he could do for the next 20 hours was to let his undercover persona slip in any way, especially as he knew that Victor was looking for any sign at all that would betray him. He would worry about everything other than tomorrow's operation once that had concluded. Until then, he had to get his head out of his ass and get to the office lest he raise anyone's suspicion.

"After all, it wasn't every day that the United States government delivered you 18 million dollars in cash" he thought with a smile.

Twenty minutes later he walked into Renaldo's office to find him there with Gareldo and Victor.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I can come back later" Sam stated.

"Grab a seat" Renaldo stated while pointing to the remaining vacant chair. "We were just talking about how we were going to get the money".

"Do we know exactly where on the bridge the money will be placed?" Victor inquired.

"Nope" Sam answered. "As the Abogado told us, they can place it anywhere between the east and west frames, as long as it touches the international boundary line".

"So we don't know if it will be on the single north bound lane or in one of the three southbound lanes" Victor stated.

"That's my presumption" Sam stated.

"Think like a Gringo for a moment" Gareldo ordered.

Sam fixed him with a stare that could have melted the polar ice cap.

Renaldo noticed and shook his head: "One of these days, I'm going to send you to one of those finishing schools for you to learn some manners" He chastised his younger brother.

"He won't live long enough" Sam thought to himself.

Renaldo turned to Sam: "While his presentation is poor, his idea is correct so maybe you can draw on your experience in logistics to tell us where you think they will put the money".

"As you know, that bridge was originally built with all four lanes southbound into Mexico. In 1999 they created the northbound lane out of the eastern most southbound lane and it is currently dedicated to pre-approved traffic heading into the United States. As a result, it is very narrow. It would be very difficult for them to move around the truck and to guard the money. I can't see them using it. Therefore, they will either put it directly in the middle of the three southbound lanes, or in the middle between the eastern most southbound lane and the middle lane. That way, they can drive the truck right up, turn around and back up to the boundary line and unload it. It's also much easier to defend if necessary" Sam concluded.

"Defend from what?" Victor asked.

"A Mexican cartel storming up with weapons blazing as is our reputation" Sam replied.

"Why would we do that, they are giving us the money" Gareldo stated.

Victor looked at Sam and shrugged his shoulders. "Now you know" he grinned, referencing as to why they called Gareldo 'The Retard' behind his back.

"Know what?" Gareldo angrily inquired.

Sam stepped in: "The DEA Agents do not know that we aren't going to act that way, they can only go by what they have observed, or by what has been reported to them in the past. As such, they will be prepared".

"So either way, it's somewhere in the southbound lanes" Renaldo commented.

"Si" Sam replied. "They may also give us direction by blocking the lanes they don't want us to use".

Gareldo was incensed: "How can they do that, they can't come into Mexico and just block whatever lanes they want to".

Victor looked at his younger cousin. "Gareldo, I say this with love. If you had another brain, it would die of loneliness".

Renaldo burst out in laughter while Sam cracked a smile.

"You can only have one brain" Gareldo retorted.

"And a shame it is that God did not provide you with one" Victor replied.

Again, Sam figured he had better step in: "Gareldo, they won't come into Mexico. They can block the lanes at the boundary line leaving us only enough room to reach out and pull the pallet across to the Mexico side of the bridge" Sam gently answered as he was actually beginning to feel sorry for Gareldo. It reminded him of when he and Danny would pick on Jamie and how guilty he felt afterward.

"Okay, head out of ass and back in game" he reminded himself as he looked at the clock above Renaldo's head.

"Two hours to go. Maybe these idiots will kill one another before then" He thought to himself.

"One can always hope" a voice replied in his head and he inwardly smiled as he realized the voice was Danny's.


	30. Chapter 30

Sunday, June 25, 2017:

The Mexico terminus of The Good Neighbor International Bridge

Ciudad, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

3:57 a.m.

A three vehicle formation made the final turn from west bound Tlaxcala street on to northbound Lerdo. They were now only one block south of the bridge.

Halfway to the next block the first and third vehicles pulled over to the side and idled while the middle vehicle, a dilapidated box truck with a hydraulic lift on the back continued north. When it reached the bridge, the four occupants sitting abreast of one another discovered barricades with large ALTO signs blocking all four lanes of the bridge.

Sam was driving so he leaned out to flag over a border guard.

Renaldo was seated next to him and informed the guard that he had merchandise to pick up waiting for him on the bridge.

"Sorry Señior but the bridge is closed" The guard replied.

"Si, I know this. That's why it's closed" Renaldo informed him.

"No Señior, it is closed because the Americanos are working on their side of the bridge so no traffic can go in or out of the Estados Unidos until six o'clock this morning" He advised.

"Maybe this will help speed up the clock" Renaldo said as he handed Sam five hundred U.S. dollars to bribe the guard".

The guard, who barely made a living wage from the three jobs he had eagerly scooped up the money and walked over to remove two of the plastic barricades so that the truck could drive through.

"Gracias" Sam stated as they passed by, the guard's toothy grin on full display as he smiled and waved them through.

Meanwhile 440 feet to the north, the DEA and ATF Agents saw the truck arrive and begin to head towards them.

Just short of the barricades, Sam performed the same U-turn that the Army Sergeant had earlier executed before backing the truck up to the boundary line. He jumped out of the truck and went to the controls for the ramp where he folded the ramp down to a horizontal position and lowered it to the pavement. He was two feet short of the yellow line, so yelled to Renaldo to back it up until he told him to stop.

"ALTO!" Sam shouted out and the ramp came to a stop just touching the south edge of the yellow boundary marker.

Renaldo set the brake and he along with his brother and cousin alighted from the truck and walked over to stand next to Sam.

The palate holding the 18 million dollars in cash was just over six inches away but for now, it could be back in New York until they had it on their side of the border.

"Samuel Phillips" Corradi called out.

"I'm Sam Phillips" Sam replied.

I am Supervisory Special Agent Corradi of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. Pursuant to the Order of Federal District Judge Horace Denning, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, I am directed to return the sum of 18 million dollars in United States currency to you, at this time, and in this place.

"You Gringos sure like to talk a lot" Gareldo shouted out.

"Cállate!" Victor hissed to his cousin.

"I have here a receipt requiring your signature that this Agency did in fact on this 25th day of June, 2017 at 4:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time, return these funds to you personally, and that you have accepted delivery thereof" Corradi concluded.

"If you hand me the clipboard there, I'll be happy to sign, but I have no intention of letting any part of me enter the United States, even my hand" Sam replied.

"Knowing your situation, I understand" Corradi stated as he handed the clipboard across to where Sam could retrieve it.

"Give me a moment to read it" Sam stated, taking his time so that the ATF team could get Victor and the Espinoza brothers nicely within its scopes.

"One quick question, how do we know that what's in that pile is real U.S. currency and not counterfeit, or that maybe the front and top parts we see have all real bills but behind that, it's all newspaper" Sam inquired, causing the other three to nod their concern.

"You don't know, but if you want to verify the authenticity of the currency for yourselves, you are welcome to come over here and do so because we are not releasing these funds until you sign that document. If you don't sign, we'll pack this pallet back up on that truck behind us and return the money to New York, and petition the Court for permanent custody based on a claim of Estoppel by Waiver" Corradi stated.

"What's that mean?" Renaldo nervously asked.

"It means that if I don't sign, then they keep the money and if we sue again, they'll claim we passed up the opportunity to take it when we could have and have forever waived our claim to it" Sam replied.

"That about sums it up" Corradi stated.

"Just sign the damned thing" Renaldo ordered.

"Okay, it's your funeral" Sam grinned as he signed and handed the clipboard back over to Corradi.

"What do you mean, its my funeral?" Renaldo asked.

"Just what I said" Sam replied as he whipped around, his KAHR 10mm pointed at Renaldo's face. "Your dead. I'm a DEA Agent and you are all under arrest" He stated as he grabbed hold of Renaldo by the neck.

Gareldo began screaming obscenities. "You can't arrest us, we're in Mexico"

"Better take a look again retard, you're standing six feet inside of the United States. They moved all the markers six feet north early this morning" Sam informed them.

Renaldo looked around but he couldn't see what Sam was talking about.

The flagpoles on the U.S. side were moved north, the boundary line was repainted, and the boundary marker relocated north, all to give you the illusion that you were still in Mexico" Molina informed them.

"Ever hear of Harry Houdini?" Sam asked.

Whatever bad circuitry Gareldo had in his head finally fried. He reached down and drew his revolver but he never cleared his stomach as a .223 jacketed hollow point tore into the right side of his forehead, fired by an ATF sniper secreted behind the barrier separating the northbound lane from the remainder of the bridge.

Victor also elected to make a bad play and as he turned to face Sam while reaching for his gun, but he was too slow and Sam put a 10mm round right between his eyes.

As Renaldo looked on in horror at his dead brother and cousin, Sam kicked him behind the knee and brought him down hard on the ground where Molina handed him a pair of handcuffs.

"I think you've more than earned the right to the honors" She smiled as Sam removed Renaldo's weapon and searched him for others.

"Much obliged" Sam drawled with a grin of his own.

Molina waived over four DEA Agents. "Take him to the prearranged destination, strip search him, and put him in the holding cell. He is to have no contact of any kind, no food, no water, am I clear?" She stated.

"Yes Ma'am, crystal" the senior agent replied.

"Okay, let's get this money loaded back on the truck and back to Biggs. We have to get this bridge back to the way it was before six a.m. so let's get a move on" Corradi yelled out, starting the reverse process of what they had performed six hours earlier.

"As for you" Molina stated, let's get you somewhere where you can clean up, have breakfast, and maybe take a nap". She stated, to which Sam whole heartedly agreed.

Molina pulled into the driveway of the elegant looking house in Castner Heights. She pressed the garage door button and as soon as the door retracted, she pulled and lowered the door behind her.

She handed Joe the key to the house. "Why don't you go in, I have a call to make back to D.C. she stated.

"After action report?" He asked.

"Figured they may want to know that the 18 Mil is still ours" She laughed.

"It's always about the money. In my next life, maybe I'll come back as a dollar bill and have some value to someone" He replied.

"Joe, what's wrong?" She asked.

"At some point, I have to go home to my family. How can I do that after all I've done to them. In 2009, my niece was a precocious thirteen-year-old. Now she's a year away from graduating Columbia. My then nine-year-old nephew just graduated high school and his younger brother, who hadn't started kindergarten when I left is starting high school this fall. And then there are my brothers and sister, my grandfather, and most of all my father, thinking for all these years that he lost me only three and a half years after we lost our mother" Joe stated with tears in his eyes.

Molina reached over and pulled Joe into a hug, something he didn't usually allow. "Joe, you come from New York City's first family of law enforcement so I think you know as well as I do, there are only two feelings your family will have for you. Pride in everything that you've done, and love for having your back home. The rest is all commentary and bullshit" She bluntly stated, earning a laugh from Joe.

"Now get your butt inside and I'll be in in a few minutes" She stated.

Joe got out of the car and walked up to the back door. He inserted the key and let himself into the back hall.

He had just come even with the laundry room when a left hook out of nowhere clocked him in the right side of his jaw, causing him to stumble backwards, but he didn't go down. Instead he drew his KAHR 10mm and aimed it at… he blinked. "Danny!" He shouted as he holstered his pistol and brought his brother into a bear hug. Danny hugged him back just as hard.

Once they separated, Joe rubbed his jaw. "Not bad for an old man" Joe teased.

"Figured I owed you that" Danny smirked.

"I'm so sorry about Linda" Joe began.

"Not now Joe, this is about us, not her. I'm just glad to have my little brother back" Danny said. "Come on, let's get you some ice for that jaw" Danny said as he pushed Joe ahead of him into the kitchen where he came face to face with Erin, who walked up to him and slapped him across the left cheek.

"Okay, I guess I deserved that one too" Joe stated.

Erin burst into tears. Joe held his precious sister tightly as she cried it all out of her system. "I thought I had lost you forever" She blubbered.

"No way Sis, I'll always be here" He assured her.

Finally, Joe let her go and she straightened herself up. "Wow, do you look different" She stated.

"Facial and dental implants, shaved head, 50 lbs more muscle. Had to be sure nobody would recognize me" He replied.

"Come on, let's go in the other room" Danny said leading his brother and sister into the living room where Joe spotted Jamie.

Joe looked at his baby brother: "Danny landed a left hook to my right jaw, and Erin a slap to my left cheek. You want put a punch in my nose?" He asked.

"Nah, not my style, I'm just glad to have you back, besides, I got my revenge on you a few years ago" Jamie grinned.

"Yeah, how's that?" Joe inquired.

"I totaled your Chevelle" He stated with a straight face.

"You what?!" Joe yelled.

"In all fairness Joe, Malevsky cut the brake lines. Kid would have gone into the East River if he didn't put the car into a concrete barrier" Danny informed Joe.

"Fucking Malevsky, is he rotting in prison?" Joe inquired.

"You weren't told?" Jamie asked.

"No, I had to keep what happened in New York completely separate from my life in Mexico, why, what happened?" He inquired.

"Jamie solved your "murder" Danny stated in air quotes. "We raided the Templar in a bar when they were about to split town with 12 Mil in drugs and another 12 Mil in cash. Dad asked who killed his son and Malevsky admitted it before he blew his own head off".

"Bello was in on it too. Also that Agent Anderson who tried to bring me in to pick up where you left off" Jamie stated.

"Anderson's the one who ratted me out to Malevsky or Bello. Everything was fine until all of a sudden, she was my new FBI contact. I never trusted her so I planned ahead" Joe stated as he sat down on the sofa, Erin leaning against him.

Joe thought back to May 15, 2009.

"Because you're the only person that I trust" Joe informed Lydia Gonzalez.

"You really think Malevsky or someone else on the NYPD is going to kill you?" She asked.

"Yes. If anything happens to me, I want you to find my brother Jamison and give this recording to him" Joe insisted.

"Why not Danny, he's the cop" She stated.

"That's the reason, I trust Danny but I don't know who around him can be trusted. Jamie isn't a part of the NYPD, but someday he will be. He'll investigate this and find the truth".

"So what are you going to do?" She inquired

"Unless it's a head shot, I'll be able to survive and fake my death. Get me to King's County General, dead or alive, and make sure Linda Reagan sees me. She's Danny's wife, but I trust her" Joe stated.

"And what, you'll just disappear?" She asked.

"Call it a career change, but this goes deeper than a few crooked local LEOs and I have to follow it, both the drugs and the money. When the time is right, I'll come home. Remember Lydia, this has to be our secret, you can never tell, and whatever happens, you can't let anyone take a head shot on me" Joe stated.

"I've got your back" She replied and that night, she made sure she was positioned so that after Malevsky fired his rounds, she appeared before he could perform the coup de grâce. Both she and Joe knew that while Malevsky could put the blame on a couple of runners for killing Joe, he could not explain the death of both of them.

"Unfortunately, Malevsky got to Lydia after I did" Jamie said.

"No he didn't, right after Lydia gave you that recording, she went into the DEA like me. She surfaced about a year ago and left New York with her daughter and twin sister. Relocated somewhere down in South America with a fat pension and a white sand beach for her backyard" Joe smiled.

"So the other day when Jackie was on her computer talking with us, she blushed when we asked about you. Anything you may want to share about my former partner, little brother?" Danny inquired.

"You know big brother, ordinarily I would love to but I have been up for the past 36 hours and could use a shower and a nap" Joe stated as he rose from the couch.

"Get some sleep Joe. When you wake up, the four of us will have Sunday Dinner and you can call Dad and Pops" Erin stated.

"Thanks Sis" Joe said before kissing her cheek and heading to the bedroom.

"I'll call Dad and let him know all is well" Jamie said.

"Good idea kid, in the meantime, I have a call of my own to make" Danny smirked.


	31. Chapter 31

DEA Secured Detention Facility

El Paso, Texas

Sunday, June 25, 2017

5:45 p.m.

Joe walked into the DEA's Secured Detention Facility and went straight to the office of the regional supervisor, which is where he found Veronica Molina.

"Wow, you look a lot better than the way I left you this morning" She noted.

"Thank you for the surprise. I walked into the house, get a sock in the jaw from Danny, and a slap in the face from Erin" He grinned.

"Nothing from Jamie?" She asked.

"Nothing other than telling me he totaled my 1971 Chevelle, speaking of which, I would like these items retrieved from my house in Mexico and placed in storage at the listed address" He stated as he handed Molina his list.

"Not much of a list, are you sure that's everything?" She inquired.

"I'm not much of a pack rat. When it comes down to it, the El Camino is the most important item on that list. I can live without the rest" Joe replied.

"You'll get it all, trust me, so what else happened, did you talk to your father?" She asked.

"Yeah, that was a tough one, gramps also but you were right, pride, love, etc. Nobody is going to tell the kids yet, make that a surprise for when I return to New York" He answered.

"Speaking of which, why weren't you on the plane with your siblings?" She inquired.

"Because, we aren't done here and I don't walk away from a job until it's finished" He responded.

"You want to interrogate Espinoza, he's been waiting for you" Molina advised.

"What about my special request?" Joe asked.

"Went all the way to the top. Received the green light from Justice 30 minutes ago. President approved it" She informed him.

"Then all we need to do is have our friends from the ATF finish their part of the job".

"Been working on that all day. Should be completed in the next two hours".

Joe headed down to the basement and the secured holding cell that currently housed Renaldo Espinoza.

He nodded to the Agent guarding the cell who opened it. Joe walked in carrying a bottle of water which he set down on the table in front of the cartel drug lord, before sitting down across from him.

"My name is Joseph Reagan and I'm a Special Agent with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency" He clearly stated.

Espinoza looked up. "Reagan" He nodded as if understanding.

"My older brother is the detective who seized your 18 million dollars in drug money"

"Which is why you told me not to kills his family" Espinoza replied.

"Before I was a DEA Agent, I was a detective in the New York City Police Department. Unlike others you worked with, I was honest. My now dead partner, Sonny Malevsky was not and eight years ago believed that he had killed me to prevent me from disclosing that dirty cops were stealing your drugs from dealers and gangs and returning the drugs to you so that you could keep reselling them. The cops kept the cash they stole from the gangs, and you kept recycling the same drugs, earning you massive profits" Joe stated. "You'll be happy to know that it was my younger brother, a rookie police officer at the time, who figured everything out and put an end to your partnership with those crooked cops".

"You killed my brother and my cousin" Espinoza hissed.

"No, a sniper killed Gareldo because he stupidly went for his gun, the same reason that I killed Victor" Joe corrected.

"Same difference, because of you, they're dead, just as you and your family will be when I get the word back to my people" Espinoza threatened.

"Remember the day I called to find you an attorney in New York, and I put on my reading glasses and you made fun of me, do you recall what I said to you?" Joe asked.

"No, must not have been that important" Espinoza replied.

"I said 'it's called getting old Renaldo and maybe you'll actually live long enough to find out what that's like' however, I can assure you that isn't going to happen because my friend, you are living the last hour of your miserable life so you won't have time to speak to anyone but me and your maker so you better consider me as your priest and confess whatever you want to get off your chest because in an hour, you'll be dead" Joe stated as he looked at his watch.

"You can't kill me, I have the right to a trial".

Joe passed Renaldo a photocopy of the document he had entered the room with.

"This is what is called a Presidential Warrant, signed by Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, and witnessed by Jefferson B. Sessions, III, Attorney General of the United States. It states that the Termination of Renaldo Espinoza with Extreme Prejudice for criminal conduct and actions, within the borders of, and against the people of, the United States of America is hereby granted in the name of the United States of America, dated this 25th day of June, 2017" Joe concluded.

"What is 'Extreme Prejudice" Espinoza asked.

"It is a legal term used both by the military and in law enforcement meaning to kill or assassinate. This document is a Presidential Death Warrant and it authorizes me to kill you so before I do, is there anything you wish to tell me to clear your conscience?" Joe asked for the final time.

"You son of a puta" Espinoza started to rant but not much else left his mouth before Joe leaned across the table and landed a right cross straight into his mouth.

"Don't you ever mention my mother in any context or your death will be very slow and very painful" He warned.

Joe walked over to the corner of the room where a roll of duct tape was placed.

He returned to Espinoza and began wrapping it around the man's mouth.

Next, he placed Espinoza's hands behind his back and taped his wrists together.

Next, he tore a strip off and placed it across Espinoza's eyes and finally, he placed cotton in each of Espinoza's ears which he sealed with the tape.

Espinoza was now deaf, blind, and mute. Normally Joe would not even think of being so cruel to a fellow human being, but after all that he and his family had endured because of this one piece of human garbage, Joe decided that extreme measures were not only warranted, but called for and he decided to employ such measures only after asking someone who had made a reputation for himself by doing the same thing.

Danny had followed Joe into the master bedroom and closed the door behind him. "I brought what you asked for, but before I give it to you, let me ask you something"

"Sure Danny" Joe stated as he sat on the bed.

"Have you ever killed another human being by any means other than with a firearm of some type?" He inquired.

"No, always with my gun" Joe answered.

Danny nodded and sat next to his brother. He produced the sheathed KA-Bar Fighting Knife, the true and proven friend of the United States Marine. He slowly pulled the knife from the sheath and held it out in front of Joe. "Go ahead, hold it" He instructed his brother.

Joe gently took the knife from Danny and felt its weight and balance. Then he gently let the blade run along the palm of his left hand. "Simple, but yet so elegant" Joe stated.

Danny nodded. "When I was in the Marine Corps, they taught us many things. How to salute, how to eat, how to take a shit, but mostly, how to kill. Most people think that means we spent all day shooting our rifles but that was only a small part of it. Most of the time we spent involved learning how to kill either with our bare hands, or with that knife. As a cop, I have never killed another person with anything other than my service pistol but as a Marine, let's say that I still have nightmares to this day about the times I used that knife, or one like it".

Joe looked into his brother's haunted eyes. He understood.

"Nothing is harder kid than taking a life with your own hands. It's easy to pull a trigger, there's no contact, it's clean. Just a nice little hole, and it's over in the blink of an eye. Efficient. Breaking a neck or slicing a throat, feeling that person's life blood spraying all over you, it's the most sickening thing, I still wanna puke when I think about it".

"This is personal Danny. This man went after me, after my brothers, after my family. Maybe I've lived among the machismo culture of the Mexican male for too long, but this isn't a debt that can be settled by the impersonal mortal wound produced by a bullet. It doesn't send the requisite message, or settle the score man to man, it only terminates future reprisals" Joe stated.

Then if you're going to kill him with your hands, let me show you how. If you have to, break his neck, it's more humane and you'll be able to live with it better, but once you use that knife, there's no turning back Joe" Danny stated.

"I know the technique Dan, but thanks for the offer. As for the knife, I'll return it after my mission" Joe replied.

"If you use it, keep it because the blood on that knife will then be on your hands. I have enough on mine already" Danny said as he rose and went to the door. "Be safe kid and most of all, be smart".

Joe smiled as he remembered that Danny could be a hot head, a jackass, even a bully, but he was a phenomenal Marine and cop and he gave outstanding advice that would keep you alive and for the past eight years Joe had needed his older brother's wise counsel more times than he could remember, so he had to reach deep inside his mind and think. WWDD, What Would Danny Do? In some instances, this meant to do the same thing, and in others, as his former T.O. Tony Renzulli often warned, "do the opposite".

Joe went over to the cell door and pounded on it. When the guard came in, he instructed him to move the prisoner to the waiting armored truck. It was time to finish this once and for all.


	32. Chapter 32

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

7:45 p.m.

About the same time Joe was getting ready to head out with Renaldo Espinoza, his three siblings pulled up to their father's house.

Once inside, they discovered that Henry had taken the boys bowling and Frank was waiting for an update report.

"How was your Sunday dinner?" He jealously inquired.

"You know that he wanted you to be there and soon he'll be at this table, but it being just the four of us, it felt wonderful" Erin answered.

"I know how important the four of you are to one another" Frank stated.

"He has some loose ends down there he still needs to clean up and then he'll come home. May take him a couple days, may take a couple of months, he really didn't say. What I do know is that he intends to complete his mission" Danny stated.

"As I would expect from any of you" Frank replied.

"May want to have his gold shield ready for when he does come back because I don't think he plans on remaining with his current employer" Jamie stated.

Erin smiled: "Joe can come back to the NYPD, and you can pass the bar and join me at the DA's office" She pointed at Jamie.

"Sorry Sis, I'm sticking with my brothers" He grinned.

"Yeah, and look at all the trouble that's brought you over the years" Erin responded.

"What trouble?" Danny weighed in.

"Okay, enough. At least wait until Joe's back so that I can enjoy watching all four of you fight like old times" Frank smiled.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Northern terminus of Mano Sangriento Cartel Tunnel

El Paso, Texas

8:00 p.m.

The armored van carrying Joe and Renaldo pulled up outside a warehouse on the south side of El Paso. From his time in the cartel, Joe knew this to be one of the many tunnels Mano Sangriento had constructed and used to smuggle its product into the United States. Joe figured that the northern terminus of this particular tunnel must be about 500 feet inside of the United States, while the southern terminus in Juarez was located inside of a house only 200 feet south of the Rio Grande.

Joe lifted his cell phone from his pocket and called Jim Timmerman who was at that moment, standing a few feet from the Mexican side of the tunnel.

"Is your team in place?" Joe asked.

"It is" Timmerman responded.

"When I call you, you'll have exactly 10 minutes. Be sure everyone is out by then" Joe warned.

"Affirmative" Timmerman said as he disconnected.

Joe had been furnished a key to the warehouse by a local DEA Agent. He unlocked the door and then walked over to the rear of the van where he retrieved a now very frightened Renaldo Espinoza.

He half dragged Espinoza to the hole in the floor where the tunnel entrance was located, and forced him to descend into the well-lit tunnel proper.

He pushed a pleading Espinoza along until they had reached just shy of the marker that had been placed denoting the international border, at which time Joe once again kicked Espinoza behind the knees, bringing him to a kneeling position.

Joe began removing the duct tape from Espinoza's eyes, ears, and mouth, having already freed his hands so that he could climb down the ladder into the tunnel.

Once all the tape had been removed, Joe balled it up and tossed it to the side.

He then withdrew the KA-BAR knife from its sheath attached to his belt, planted his left knee into Espinoza's back, and wrapped his muscular left forearm around Espinoza's forehead to hold him in place.

Joe leaned in: "You like to hurt people Renaldo. You like to make waste of others' lives, not just for the money, and not just for the power it shows, but because you like others to suffer and to live in fear. You saw your brother and your cousin receive their justice this morning. The only difference between you and them is that they have a sixteen hour head start on you on their trip to Hell. Every action you have taken has been one link in a very long chain that has brought you here. If at any time you had acted to break that chain, you would have lived, but now that chain has come to an end. In the name of the United States of America, and for my brother who lost his wife, and my nephews who lost their mother because you burned down their house which altered their lives and led to my sister-in-law's death, I hereby carry out the sentence of the government of the United States".

Joe then dropped the KA-BAR and in a lightning quick move, snapped Renaldo's neck.

He placed Renaldo's head against the ground, his feet through the noose of the rope Timmerman had left for such purpose, and pulled the noose closed. Next, he unbuttoned Espinoza's pants and lowered them along with his underwear to his thighs. Then, he picked up the KA-BAR and in one quick motion, castrated him. Next Joe placed a sign that read 'PUTA' on Espinoza's chest before plunging the knife through the sign and into Espinoza's no longer beating heart. Finally, he pulled a bumper sticker out of his pocket and placed it across Espinoza's mouth and wrapped the remainder around and behind his head.

Satisfied that he had completed his task, Joe walked back to the tunnel entrance and exited through the same hole he had entered minutes earlier. He withdrew his phone from his pocket and called Timmerman who promptly answered.

"Clock's running" Joe said before disconnecting.

He went back outside, climbed back into the armored van, and pulled away until he was in the street, the warehouse still in full view.

One of the most critical pieces of information that Joe possessed, was the location of the entire tunnel network created by, operated by, or simply used by Mano-Sangriento and he furnished this information to the DEA and to the ATF, which had spent the entire day wiring the U.S. side of 39 tunnels with explosives. The 40th tunnel, the one had just exited, was wired on both sides of the border as was the El Paso warehouse and the house on the Mexico side.

Joe watched the clock in the van as time ticked away. Five minutes remaining.

By now, Timmerman and his crew should have pulled Espinoza's corpse out the Mexico side of the tunnel and sometime during the dark early morning hours, would place it on display so that at daybreak the remaining cartels would get the message that his is what happens when do your business in the U.S.A., especially once they figured out the meaning of the bumper sticker wrapped around his head.

Another look at the clock and zero hour had arrived. Joe picked up the second cell phone next to him and pressed speed dial 9. When the second hand on the van's clock struck twelve, he pressed the send button and began to drive away. Thirty seconds later, a series of popping noises could be heard as small explosive charges began to weaken the tunnel wall and ceiling along with the warehouse's metal framework. When those charges were spent, larger charges went off blowing out the tunnel and collapsing it. Finally, the main charges simultaneously went off in the warehouse and the house in Mexico creating a mirror blaze visible from both sides of the border and for miles east or west along the Rio Grande.

Five minutes later, explosive charges lining the U.S. side of the remaining 39 tunnels began to explode and each structure they opened into or onto on the U.S. side was similarly destroyed.

Joe smiled as he heard the cacophony of the explosions and saw the plume of flames signaling the end of the Mano-Sangriento Cartel, and the threat it had become to him and his family.

Next stop, the El Paso International Airport and the private jet that would take him to where he had one last task to complete before he could return home to New York City.


	33. Chapter 33

Monday, June 26, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

7:45 a.m.

Frank and Henry were watching the morning news shortly before Frank was to depart for his office, when a Special Alert appeared across the bottom.

The reporter, live in Juarez, Mexico was reporting on the grizzly discovery of the body of Renaldo Espinoza, the leader of the Mano Sangriento Drug Cartel, and one of the most wanted men in Mexico. He announced that the body had been found nailed crucifixion style to a large wooden cross that had been erected in an open area just outside of the Juarez. According to local law enforcement, the deceased's neck had been broken and his testicles cut off by a KA-BAR fighting knife, which was then thrust into the deceased's heart through a sign which read PUTA. Finally, a bumper sticker encircled the man's head which had the picture of the iconic cartoon character and read "Compliments of your friendly neighborhood Spiderman".

The reported stated that Espinoza's murder had likely occurred within the same time period as 40 cross border drug tunnels beneath the Rio Grande River were blown up by unknown persons, including a house in Juarez, Mexico and a warehouse directly across from it in El Paso, Texas.

Frank turned off the television and looked at his father: "Mom used to call Joe her little Spiderman".

Henry nodded in agreement. "Looks like Joe was sending his own message to those bastards. 'Don't screw with my family'".

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Teterboro Airport

Teterboro, NJ

11:24 a.m.

For the past five months Joe had felt like Moses, wandering the desert for 40 years only to be denied entry into the Promised Land.

After boarding the DEA Citation X jet in El Paso, he was flown directly to a private medical facility in Connecticut where he underwent plastic surgery to return his face to his own. The special implants that had widened his jaw and cheek bones were removed.

A week after the surgery, he was released and relocated to the DEA's offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he spent the next three months undergoing debriefings, and providing reams of information on the Mexican cartels and who within the United States they were doing business.

He had once joked that he felt like V'Ger in Star Trek The Motion Picture and that once the DEA began having him disgorge his knowledge, he couldn't stop spitting it out as he had over eight years worth of information to empty out of his head.

More importantly, he decompressed and underwent counseling for post-traumatic stress syndrome as his time undercover had taken a heavy mental toll on his psyche, his ability to trust, and most importantly, how he looked at himself. He also spent a considerable amount of time working on his state of mind and his emotions regarding his family and how he could ever reintegrate to it after what he had put everyone through.

He stopped shaving his head so that his natural blond hair began to return, and he adhered to a strict diet and training regimen in order to drop 30 pounds so as to return to the sleek physique he had eight years earlier.

Next, he had been relocated to Newark, New Jersey where he spent another six weeks with that field office formulating plans to combat the drug trafficking occurring within the tri-state region, and teaching a course on undercover tradecraft.

The final month of his enforced banishment was a fully paid vacation in Ireland, France, and Italy, where he skied, took cooking lessons, spent a lot of time touring and praying in the churches, and as was hoped, letting go of his past and returning to his old self.

On the evening of November 20th, he received a call from SSA Corradi with the news he had been waiting for. "Joe, be at the airport at 10:00 p.m. tomorrow night, you're coming home".

Joe landed at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey at 11:24 a.m. Wednesday, November 22nd and was immediately taken to the DEA's New York Field Office at 99 10th Avenue. Just breathing the smells, hearing the sounds, and seeing the sights of the city brought him an immense relief, but his real home was still a bridge too far away.

He was escorted directly to SSA Corradi's office where he found Veronica Molina waiting with Corradi.

Hands were shaken and Molina gave Joe a hug. After a few minutes of pleasantries, they sat down.

"So, are you ready for your next assignment?" Corradi inquired.

Joe smiled. "I am, but it may not be what you are expecting to assign me" He replied.

"How's that?" Corradi inquired.

Joe reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew his DEA credentials and placed them on the desk in front of him. "I'm out" he flatly stated.

Molina looked over and smiled "We kind of expected that" she stated. "Heading back to the NYPD?" She inquired.

Joe nodded. "If they'll take me back".

"Oh, I think you've got a pretty good hook over there who probably has your old Detective's shield buffed and polished and is just waiting for you to come collect it" Corradi grinned.

"But that doesn't mean that we don't have one last parting gift for you" Molina grinned.

"Parting gift?" Joe inquired.

"Come with us" Corradi stated as they walked out of his office to the elevator, which they took to the DEA's sub-level garage. When the doors opened, there sat Joe's 1971 Nevada Silver El Camino.

"I told you that we'd pick up a few of the things you left in Mexico, the rest of which we delivered to your dad's house, but it sure seemed a shame to leave this bad boy behind" Molina stated.

Joe looked at the classic car. "It's like new" He observed.

"Considering all that you did for the Agency, and all that you sacrificed for it, seemed the least that we could do with some of our portion of the 18 million was to have this beauty restored for you. Drive it in the best of health Detective" Corradi stated as he shook Joe's hand.

"Thank you Sir, I deeply appreciate it" Joe replied.

"Then you'll really love this" Molina stated as she handed Joe an envelope which he opened to discover a check made out to Joseph C. Reagan for the sum of $500,000.

His jaw dropped.

"Bonus for a job well done Agent, or should I say, Detective" Molina stated, and by the way, the Agency picked up the taxes so the entire amount is yours".

"I can't accept this" Joe remarked.

"You can and you will and that's an order, Agent" Corradi firmly barked. "Until I process you out, you still work for me".

"Yes Sir" Joe smiled.

"Now, climb in that silver beauty and drive over to One Police Plaza and see if you can get your old job back and if they don't want you, I will expect you back here first thing Monday morning ready for work. Otherwise, I'll put through your paperwork" Corradi smiled.

Joe repeated his thanks, climbed into the El Camino, and headed out onto 10th Avenue where he drove south to the battery, stopping to look across to New Jersey, the land of his recent exile, grateful that had been permitted to return.

He pulled up to the guarded garage at 1PP and then it hit him. "How in the hell am I going to announce myself, these people all think I'm dead".

He backed out and made a quick phone call to his brother.

"Reagan" Danny answered.

"Danny, it's Joe" He announced.

"Are you back?" Danny excitedly asked.

"Yeah, but keep it on the Q.T., I want to surprise the kids tomorrow"

"Where are you now?" Danny asked.

"Outside 1PP but I have a dilemma and I need your help".

Danny laughed. "I'll call the garage guard and tell him to let you in. What are you driving?" Danny asked.

"A '71 Silver El Camino" Joe replied.

"Some things never change" Danny chuckled. "Give me a minute, then approach the gate".

After a minute, Joe did as instructed. "Hello, I believe Detective Daniel Reagan just called you" Joe said.

"Yeah, said someone driving a car like this was cleared through to see the Commissioner" The guard replied. "Still have to see some I.D." He stated.

"Joe reached into his wallet and produced his old NYPD Detective credentials. "They're a bit out of date, one of the reasons I'm here" He sheepishly stated.

The guard's mouth dropped.

"You're the P.C.'s middle son, the one who was killed years ago" The guard stated in shock.

"I was undercover, nobody knew, not even my family" Joe replied.

"Your dad know you're alive?" He asked.

"Yeah, but not that I'm here. How about you let me through and I'll go surprise him" Joe suggested.

"Sure, just park it over there by the elevator. I'll send you up in the express, right to the 14th floor" The guard eagerly announced.

Joe stepped out onto the 14th floor. He hadn't walked this hallway since May of 2009 and yet it looked the same.

He turned the corner towards his father's office. Staring at her computer was his father's faithful assistant, Detective Abigail Baker.

Joe couldn't resist. "Detective Abby" He grinned.

Baker looked up and the expression on her face said it all. Complete and utter shock, and for the only time anyone could remember, she screamed.

"What the hell" Joe heard from the inner office before the door was ripped open and the big man stepped out to find his son calming down the distraught detective.

"Sorry Dad, thought I'd pay you a surprise visit" Joe sheepishly announced.

Frank stood still as if to treasure this moment for the rest of his life. He hadn't seen his boy face to face since the Sunday before he was thought to have been murdered.

"It's really you" Frank said as tears formed in his eyes and he held out his arms.

Joe walked into his father's embrace and returned his own. "Hi Dad, missed you too" Joe said as he kissed his father's cheek.

"Frank, what's going on?" Garrett called out from behind him as he and Sid Gormley poked their heads out of Frank's office, but seeing only Frank's broad back.

Frank let go of Joe and turned around before stepping to the side so that they could see for themselves.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" Gormley stated as he crossed himself. "Joe Reagan as I live and breathe".

Garrett just stood there staring.

"What's wrong Garrett, this is the first time I can remember that you had nothing to say" Frank teased.

"Huh?" Garrett replied, still unable to fathom that Joe Reagan was standing before him.

"Hello Deputy Commissioner, Lieutenant" Joe smiled.

"Have you broken my assistant?" Frank inquired as he looked at Baker, who by now had recovered.

"Maybe shorted a circuit or two but she looks as if she's about finished rebooting" Joe replied, only to receive a sneer from Baker who to everyone's astonishment came out from behind her desk and walked over to Joe where she grabbed him by the back of his neck and planted a whopper of a kiss on his lips that had all four men blushing.

As she pulled away she licked her lips. "Reboot that, Joey" She seductively stated before returning to her desk.

Joe was dumbfounded and failed to respond as he remained frozen in place.

"I think she broke your son Boss" Gormley stated.

"I think she broke Frank too" Garrett finally spoke up noting that Frank was as shocked as Joe.

Finally, Frank snapped back from his astonished trance.

"Let's go in my office" Frank snapped to Joe as pulled him by the arm into the inner sanctum before closing the big door behind him.

Garrett looked over at Baker. "Wow" He said.

She gave Garrett a questioning look before returning her attention to her computer screen.


	34. Chapter 34

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

One Police Plaza

14th Floor

Manhattan, NY

1:44 p.m.

Frank closed the door to his office and pointed towards the couch. "Have a seat" He directed.

Joe complied and watched as his father lowered his large frame into the seat to his right.

Frank stated at Joe for a few moments before a smile broke out on his face. "Pretty good kiss, huh?" He grinned.

"If I had only known eight years ago, I would have made a move on her and ditched the DEA" Joe said as he licked his own lips, tasting Baker's lipstick.

"She's married now so that was a onetime smooch" Frank warned.

"Copy that" Joe nodded before telling his father about his resignation from the DEA, but not divulging the $500,000 or the El Camino.

"I understand that there just may be a gold shield somewhere around here with my name on it" Joe inquired.

"What makes you think that I'd want you back, I mean, you did ditch us for the Feds, and that's something unforgiveable to this Department" Frank said with a straight face.

"And I completely understand which is why my resignation papers won't process until Monday morning meaning, if the NYPD doesn't want me, I still have my old job waiting and who knows, maybe this time they'll send me to Venezuela, or Columbia. I wonder how long I may be gone, after all, they could put me on the ten year plan" Joe stated as he looked around the spacious office.

"Cut it out, you know damned well that your shield is sitting in my desk drawer waiting for you, however, you will have to undergo a mandatory firearms qualification and a two week refresher course at the Academy before you can be assigned to active duty" Frank stated.

Joe held out his hand palm up. "Shield please"

Frank rose from his seat and walked over to his desk. He opened the top drawer and withdrew the gold shield and its case before walking over and placing it in his son's hand. "Welcome home Detective" Frank smiled.

Joe nodded. "I'll process back in before I leave, and on Monday I'll start the academy course. I've had my fill of vacation and sitting around, I'm anxious to get back to doing what I do" He stated.

"And what exactly is that?" Frank asked.

"Saving lives and catching bad guys" Joe replied.

"Staying at the house tonight?" Frank inquired.

"No, I want to show up tomorrow and surprise Nicky, Jack, Sean, and Pops "I'll either get a room or I'll stay with Jamie".

"After that?" Frank asked.

"Maybe for a few days until I find a place" Joe replied.

"Be good to have you around, catch up" Frank replied.

Joe rose up from the couch. "You can bank on it Dad" Joe smiled as he hugged his father.

"Please don't break Baker on your way out, I require her services" Frank pleaded as he opened the door.

Joe stepped out and as he passed Baker he stopped and turned. "How about one for the road Detective Abby".

She sharply pointed towards the exit without even looking up from her screen.

"Copy that" Joe chuckled as he headed out down the hall and toward the public elevators.

Frank, having observed all of this just shook his head. "Vintage Joe" He chuckled to himself.

After completing the documentation required for his reinstatement to the NYPD, Joe headed back to the garage and the El Camino. Having completed his first task of the day, it was time to become acquainted with one of his favorite New York passions, foraging for food which currently meant a fine street cart hotdog.

He recalled that eight and a half years ago, the best hot dog cart in the city was on Third Ave and 18th Street as it had the big thick Hebrew National kosher hot dogs so Joe pointed the nose of the El Camino in that direction, his mouth watering the entire way.

He arrived at the southeast corner to find what he sought. Hopefully the bill of fare would match that of his memory.

He parked the El Camino on the south side of 18th Street just east of Third Avenue, hopped out, and walked over to the hot dog cart which was on the east side of Third Avenue about 20 feet south of 18th Street.

He placed his order and was in the process of applying the requisite condiments when a short blonde police officer came up to him.

"That your car?" She inquired in that direct New York fashion as Joe read her name tag.

"Which car are you referring to Officer?" He asked, knowing how much fun this was going to be.

"That old silver one sitting on 18th Street" She replied.

"I'll have you know that car is a classic, please show it the respect that it deserves" Joe replied.

"The only thing I'll be showing it is a free lift to the pound if you don't move it" She stated while giving Joe an odd look.

"What, do I have mustard on my nose?" He asked.

"No, it's just that you remind me of someone" She replied.

"Central to 12-David" Her radio squawked as Joe took another bite of his dog.

"12 David, go" She replied.

New York Plate George Queen William One Eight One Nine, no wants or warrants. Comes back on a 1971 Chevrolet Station Wagon, registered to one Joseph Conor Reagan, Eight Zero Seven Zero Harbor View Terrace, Brooklyn, New York, K".

She looked up at Joe with her mouth agape.

"Better reply or dispatch may call a 10-85" Joe stated as he finished the last bite of his hot dog.

"12-David, Copy" She replied as she stared at Jamie's older brother.

Joe wiped his hand on a napkin before extending it. "Joe Reagan, you must be my brother Jamison's girlfriend, Edit Janko" Joe flashed his thousand watt smile.

"Eddie, and no wonder you looked familiar, you look like Jamie" She excitedly uttered.

"We were told that a lot growing up. We favor our mother, where Danny and Erin look more like Dad" Joe replied.

"When did you get back, does Jamie know you're here?" She asked.

"Today, and no. Just left 1PP" He said as he flashed his shield. "Figured I'd head over there next but after eight and a half years, I was jonesing for a real hot dog. You'd be surprised how you can't find a decent one in Mexico" He nodded before biting into the twin of the one he had just consumed. "Care to join me?" He inquired.

"Wait a minute, a Reagan who eats street dogs?" She asked.

"Danny eats them" Joe matter of factly stated. "How do you think his ass got so fat, donuts alone?" He quipped causing Eddie to laugh.

"Yeah, but Jamie's all about salads and eating healthy" She replied as her hot dog was being prepared.

"Let me give you a quick education on the brothers Reagan. Danny plows through life. He eats what he eats because its convenient and quick. He doesn't even take the time to taste it. Jamie thinks his way through life so if he eats healthy, he'll be healthy, because that is what he has been led to believe. Me, I experience life so the only way to do that, is to enjoy what life has to offer and you do that by savoring the moment, the taste, the smell, and the texture, if only a hotdog." Joe explained as he handed Eddie hers.

"I like you" She grinned.

"I like you too, but don't ever insult my car again" Joe warned.

"Yes Sir, Detective" Eddie saluted.

Ten minutes later he was back in the El Camino heading towards his real home, Brooklyn, but not to Harbor View Terrace.

Joe crossed over the iconic bridge of his youth, named for the borough in which he was born and raised. Thirty minutes later he pulled into Holy Cross Cemetery and parked near the row which held the Reagan family plots.

Joe made a quick stop after crossing over the Brooklyn Bridge which is why he approached the family plots with three bouquets of flowers, the first of which he placed before his mother's head stone.

"Mom, I don't know what to say. I hope that you would tell me that I did the right thing and that you were proud of me and no matter what, that I was welcome back, maybe even whip me up a batch of your oatmeal cookies like you used to on those days Danny would dump me for his friends or when Jamie would get all the attention and it felt like I was no longer your special son".

After a few more minutes, he walked over to his grandmother Betty's plot and placed a bouquet of flowers before her headstone.

Hi Grams. I know that it's been a while since I was last here, but then you probably know everything just like you always did and if you were here I hope that you would give me that smile and some Irish wisdom. I have to say, when I wrapped the bumper sticker around the bad guy's head I thought of you and the way you used to call me your little Spiderman every time you caught me climbing a tree or on the furniture. Maybe that's why he was always my favorite cartoon character, because that's how you looked at me".

Finally, he stood up with the final bouquet and walked to the other side of his mother's grave and looked at the offending headstone.

Joseph Conor Reagan

Born: June 5, 1977

Died: May 15, 2009

Beloved son and brother

Joe thought about the last line. "What a crock" he said, not knowing that he echoed his older brother's exact words. "What kind of son and brother is beloved if he leads those who love him to believe he's been dead for the last eight years, just so that he could put his job first." Joe stated to his headstone.

"Maybe the same type of person who will always be a beloved wife and mother" Came the response in his head.

Joe stood up and looked over to his left where he saw the fresh headstone that had been recently erected.

A chill crept up his arms and he got goose pimples as he recalled the times his mother or grandmother would comment that someone had just "walked across my grave".

Joe elected to test that wives tail by actually walking across his grave as he crossed between his plot and that of his mother's on his way to Linda's final resting place.

He knelt down and placed the final bouquet.

"I could have sworn I just heard you in my head" Joe stated.

"Maybe you did Joe, we always had that kind of relationship where we could communicate without speaking" She replied.

"Why you?" He asked.

"Why not?" She answered him. "I wasn't a cop and yet I got shot, and before that, I'd been shot at, mugged, kidnapped, assaulted, not to mention all the sick people I was around as a nurse so all things considered, I was probably in greater danger than you and your brothers and still I lasted as long as I did" She stated.

Joe reached out and gently touched the headstone. "I'm so sorry that I left you and the boys. I knew that Danny would be okay, but you needed a confidant and ally and Jack and Sean needed their uncle".

"They still do, so I'm holding you to that now that you're back, you can help Pops now and then. He's more fragile than he'd like you to believe" Linda informed him. "Oh, and most importantly, keep your brothers from killing each other".

Joe nodded. "I'll miss you Lynnie"

"Nah, you'll think of me now and then and remember, I'm right here in your head anytime you need to talk" She stated.

Joe stood up and kissed the headstone. "Bye" he said before turning around and heading back to the El Camino.

Next he drove to the bank and opened an account where he deposited the $500,000 check and applied for a new credit card. Since the check was government issued, he was allowed to immediately withdraw up to 1% so he took $2,000 in cash and went shopping for some clothes and basic necessities.

Finally, he drove to Jamie's building in Greenpoint. He parked the El Camino in front and walked over to the intercom panel where he pressed 5A.

"Yes?" The sleepy sound of his brother's voice greeted him.

"Open the door, this weather isn't exactly what I'm used to" Joe kvetched.

He heard the buzzer and let himself in, taking the old but sturdy elevator to the fifth floor.

He exited to find Jamie standing in front of his apartment door wearing his Harvard sweats.

"Hope you don't mind, but I think I'd rather crash here tonight than in Bay Ridge" Joe noted.

"Fine by me, you can have the spare room. I figured you'd be by when you returned" Jamie replied.

Joe deposited his things in the second bedroom and walked out where he faced his younger brother.

"Damn, you've grown, bulked up, wizened up too" Joe grinned.

"Maybe Danny pushed me a little on the last one" Jamie grinned back.

"I ran into Eddie this afternoon" Joe stated.

"She already called me. Said she found a new lunch partner who looked very familiar, and what she said about your new baby. She outside?" Jamie asked.

"Right in front" He answered.

"Give me the keys, I'll park her downstairs in the garage" Jamie offered.

"I don't know kid, last time you drove my classic Chevy you totaled it" Joe stated.

"Maybe this time nobody will have cut the brake lines" Jamie responded.

"Good point" Joe replied as he tossed Jamie the keys.

Five minutes later Jamie returned wearing a big smile.

"You like?" Joe asked.

"Almost as bad ass as the Chevelle, you do all the work?" He asked.

"DEA did the restoration, but the mechanical was all me" Joe answered.

"Pure mechanics" Jamie replied as Joe nodded.

The two brothers fell back into a casual banter as if they had never been separated. It was easy and genuine as they had much in common, including Jamie having eight years worth of dirt on Danny that he couldn't wait to catch Joe up on as did Erin which is why Joe and Jamie made arrangements to have dinner with their older siblings that night, so that Erin could share her stories as well and maybe together, they could all cheer Danny up, for they all agreed on one thing and that was he had helped shape them all into the people they had become and it was time for them to be there for him.


	35. Chapter 35

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

At a trendy bar in New York City

Manhattan, NY

9:30 p.m.

Danny plopped into a lounger next to a roaring fire. "I'm so stuffed I don't think I'll be able to get out of this chair" He said as he adjusted himself for maximum comfort.

"That's why you have us Danny, to pull you up when you need it" Erin replied as she sat in an equally comfy chair to Danny's left.

Jamie took the chair across from Erin and Joe found himself facing his older brother, his back to the rest of the room.

"That was some dinner, thanks again Joe" Jamie stated.

"Are you kidding, nothing but the best for my sibs".

"Yeah, but that dinner must have set you back a pile and I can't imagine that the DEA pays much better than the NYPD" Erin commented.

"First of all, the Feds pay much better, especially when it comes to undercover work. Secondly, they gave me a bonus along with a parting gift" Joe smiled.

"What parting gift and what bonus?" Danny asked.

Joe and Jamie had wisely taken a taxi because it had been eight and a half years since the siblings had been out drinking together and tonight, there would be some serious catching up on one of their favorite past times.

By now, their server had taken and returned with their drink orders.

Jamie smiled: "It's pure Joe"

Erin gave her younger brother a quizzical look. "Spill" She ordered Joe.

"When I was in Mexico, I found this 1971 Chevy El Camino which on my off time, I fixed up. After I was back in the U.S., I made a list of the few things I had left back there that I wanted. I didn't think the DEA would really bring me the car, but they did one better than that, they fully restored it for me" Joe answered.

Danny perked up as he was impressed. "That shows how much respect they have for you, so tell me, is it as cool a car as the one the kid here wrecked" he inquired as he hooked his right thumb at Jamie.

"Joe let me drive it and I have to say, it's a close call, but the Chevelle had more power" Jamie answered.

"When can I take it for a spin?" Erin asked, causing Joe to snort single malt out of his nose, and his brothers to laugh.

"If memory serves, the last time you drove the Chevelle you were pulled over for driving 112 on the Garden State Parkway and Dad and I had to schlep half way to Atlantic City to get my baby out of the pound" Joe replied.

"Yeah, but at least I didn't total it" She said while staring at Jamie.

"For the last time, it wasn't my fault, and at the time it happened, it was my car" Jamie stated.

"Speaking of which, how exactly did that come about?" Joe inquired.

"He took it outside one day to wash it and Dad told him to take it home with him" Danny replied.

"Why didn't you ask for it?" Joe inquired.

"Not really my thing being married with two boys though at this point in my life, I'd probably put up a fight for it".

"Dating yet?" Joe asked his older brother.

"Not really dating, you know" Danny sheepishly answered.

"He's got something going on with Baez, he just won't admit it" Jamie teased.

"Hey, knock it off" Danny rebuked.

"Oh, it was okay when you constantly accused me and Janko of having the hots for one another, but when the shoe's on the other foot" Jamie retaliated.

"The only place my shoe's going to be is up your ass if you don't shut up about Baez, she's my partner, nothing more" Danny retorted.

"Me thinks he doeth protest too much" Joe stated to Erin who nodded in agreement.

"Back to you, what did the DEA give you in addition to a fully restored 1971 El Camino?" Danny inquired.

Joe looked at each of his siblings before he replied. "A check for $500 large".

"Five hundred bucks, for all you did?" Erin asked.

"No Sis, large means hundred thousand, thought you'd have known that one" Danny replied.

Erin almost chocked on her martini olive. "Five Hundred Thousand Dollars?" She asked.

"Yes, and before you say anything more, I've put it away. I want to use it to help pay for college and grad school for Nicky, Jack, and Sean".

"We can't let you do that" Danny stated. "Besides, Linda provided for the boys' college".

"And Nicky is almost finished at Columbia" Erin noted.

"Nicky still has grad or law school, and whatever I can do to help with my nephews, I want to" Joe stated, before he looked at Jamie. "How much left on your student loans?" He inquired.

"Paid off last year" Jamie answered.

"How about you enjoy the money Joe, you earned it" Danny replied.

"At the expense of my family" He retorted.

"Not to us" Erin responded.

"You did what you were trained to do, what any of us would have done" Danny stated.

"You don't have anything to prove to us, or anyone else Joe nor do you have to try to ingratiate your way into the family. You never left us" Jamie informed him.

The four siblings were so deep into their conversation that they hadn't notice a group of college co-eds, home for the holiday weekend, slip into the trendy bar, so when Nicky looked over and saw her mother and two uncles sitting with another man, she decided to head over and say hello.

She had almost made it unnoticed when Danny looked up to see her approaching.

"Oh no" He stated.

"What?" Erin inquired just as Nicky reached the spot between her mother and Joe, who had turned his face away.

"Small world" Nicky smiled her 1,000-watt smile.

"And what brings you here?" Danny inquired.

"Hey, I'm 21 now so I can legally drink, so, going to introduce me to your friend?" Nicky asked as the mysterious man continued looking away.

"He's a lot more than just a friend" Jamie replied causing Nicky to frown.

Danny shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards Nicky, whereupon Joe turned around and looked into his nieces beautiful brown eyes.

"Hi Sweetheart" Joe said as he rose from his chair.

Nicky couldn't believe what she was seeing, her eyes and ears had to be lying to her, because there was no way this man could be who she thought it was.

"Mom"? She shakily asked.

"It's him Nicky" Erin tearfully answered.

"Uncle Joe?" Nicky clarified, still not believing it to be true.

"Yes honey, it's really me" Joe smiled as he reached out to her.

Nicky dove into her uncle's arms and began to cry and as she did, Joe held her.

By now, Nicky's friends had noticed that something was wrong and quickly came to her aid and were about to intervene when they recognized Erin.

"Sorry Ms. Reagan, but is everything okay?" A young male named Josh inquired.

"Yes Josh, it's just that Nicky discovered a surprise we were waiting to share with her tomorrow" Erin smiled.

Nicky finally broke apart from Joe and turned towards her friends. "You know how I always talk about my uncles, the cops, right?" She inquired to which they all affirmatively nodded.

"And how my middle uncle was killed in the line of duty when I was a teenager" She asked, to which again, they nodded yes.

"Apparently, that wasn't true because this is my Uncle Joe, my middle uncle" She extatically stated.

"He didn't die?" Josh inquired.

"Obviously not Einstein because he's standing right in front of you" Danny smugly replied.

"That's my oldest uncle, Danny" she pointed out "and my youngest uncle, Jamie".

"That's Detective Reagan, and Officer Reagan to all of you" Danny clarified for Nicky's friends.

"Lighten up Danny" Joe directed his brother before returning his attention to Nicky. "How about you introduce us to your friends".

Nicky introduced them saving Josh for last. "And this is my boyfriend, Josh"

"She's old enough for a boyfriend?" He shockingly inquired.

At this point both Danny and Jamie stood up. "We have a family tradition" Danny began.

"Being cops and all, we have to check out anyone Nicky or her mother dates, especially if it's serious" Jamie continued.

"Now that I'm back, Josh here" Joe stated as he clapped his big hand firmly to Josh's shoulder and squeezed" "is going to have to impress the three of us if he wants to continue this relationship with our favorite niece" He smiled.

"Nicky"? Josh hesitantly inquired.

"Sorry, but I warned you about my family and that at some point you'd have to face the men. I just didn't know at that time that meant all three of my uncles" She grinned.

"Besides Josh, those two aren't the ones you have to worry about" Erin stated as she nodded at Joe and Jamie.

"Somehow, I didn't think so" He replied looking directly at Danny who gave him a smirk in return".

"We'll get together real soon" Joe smiled at Josh. "In the meantime, you all behave and Nicky, keep this to yourself, I can still surprise your cousins tomorrow".

Nicky gave her uncle another hug "Anything for you Uncle Joe" She said.

"Hey, what are we, chopped liver?" Jamie asked regarding himself and Danny.

"With onions" Nicky replied as she went off with her friends.

"That little snot" Danny remarked.

"Guess she has a new favorite uncle" Jamie commented.

"So" Joe said as he returned to his seat. "One of the reasons I suggested that we get together this evening, is because I have over eight years worth of Danny dirt to catch up on"

Jamie and Erin both sported large smiles. "Oh, I think we can provide you with a couple of hours of entertainment" Erin replied.

"Yeah, well that goes both ways cause I have dirt on both the kid and beanpole that I can tell" Danny proudly announced.

"You still let him call you that?" Joe inquired.

Erin gave Danny the stink eye: "So, immediately following Jamie's graduation from the Academy, Dad had planned on taking everyone to lunch, but Danny got called in on a case" Erin began as she gave her elder brother a satisfied smirk of her own.


	36. Chapter 36

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Jamie's Apartment

Brooklyn, NY

5:44 a.m.

Jamie quietly padded into the spare bedroom of his apartment armed with a heavy throw pillow from his couch.

He grinned as he observed his brother who appeared to be dead to the world, sleeping off one hell of a bender that his siblings put him through until four hours earlier.

Jamie reared back and let the pillow fly, striking Joe soundly in the back of the head.

Joe sprang up like a scaled cat and turned to look over at his brother who was dressed and ready to head out for the day.

"Smart ass punk why'd you go and do that, I was in the middle of a great dream" Joe announced as he rubbed his eyes.

"More like reliving some of your sexual conquests" Jamie chided.

"Okay, so there was some romance involved with a certain Chiquita from south of the border" Joe admitted. "What has you up before the chickens, only Danny is crazy enough to be awake at this unholy hour" He concluded as he examined the clock on the nightstand.

"Parade Detail. Oh seven hundred roll call" Jamie announced.

"You're still pulling parade duty after eight years? Who'd you piss off?" Joe inquired.

"Nobody, but someone has to do it. I pulled Columbus Day and this one so that I don't have to work the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which as you haven't pulled parade duty in over eight years, I'm sure you will get the pleasure of working next March" Jamie chuckled.

"Argh, the Puke Parade" Joe stated, coining the NYPD's unofficial name for the festive event as he laid back down and put his pillow over his head. This was one aspect of being a New York City cop that he had not missed over the past eight and a half years. He recalled how the proud Irish marched up Fifth Avenue beginning at 44th Street and ending 25 blocks later at 79th, a parade that began at 11:00 a.m. and officially ended at 4:30 p.m. This portion of the parade usually went fairly smoothly. What did not, was the number of Irish who after completing the march up 5th Avenue, made their way across to Third Avenue where they proudly spent the next several hours greatly fortifying the treasuries of the local bars to the point where they wound up staggering back down Third Avenue, drunk and puking, in many instances, on those officers who became engaged in dealing with the drunk and disorderly and those who elected to settle their disputes with old fashioned fisticuffs, bottles, and other assorted weaponry.

"Bet you feel like driving the porcelain bus right about now" Jamie teased.

"Get out of here before I show you how a proper swirly is given, and don't forget that I learned from the best" Joe shouted from under the pillow as he pointed towards the door.

"I'll be back by two at the latest and we can ride over to Dad's together. In the meantime, if you get hungry, there's some greasy pork in a dirty ashtray on the counter" Jamie snickered right before the throw pillow made a beeline for his head, just missing.

Three hours later, Jamie ran into Danny at Columbus Circle and Central Park West. He noticed his brother wearing patrol blues and grinned.

"What?" Danny inquired.

"When did you find the time to have your uniform let out?" Jamie teased.

"Very funny weisenheimer, how's Joe doing?" He asked, having a pretty good idea as to what Jamie's answer would be.

Baby brother didn't disappoint as he joyfully recounted his morning encounter with middle brother.

Big brother laughed. "You do know that he's going to get even with the three of us for getting him drunk and with you for what you did this morning" Danny warned.

"Yeah, he mentioned something about a swirly and learning from the best" Jamie chuckled.

"I always was the grand master of that particular art" Danny gleefully recounted.

"Yeah, and I was usually on the receiving end" Jamie scowled in return.

"Suck's being the youngest, doesn't it?" Danny smiled as he headed off to patrol the large crowd that had turned out for the parade.

Jamie nodded as Danny walked away. "Laugh it up Danny Boy" He said to himself "because one of the advantages of being the youngest is that Dad usually gives me what I ask for".

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

3:25 p.m.

Joe coasted the El Camino southbound on Harbor View Terrace from 80th Street. His childhood home was less than two blocks away at the corner of 82nd.

"Come on Joe, you're as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs" He said to himself. Jamie must have heard him because he pursued a similar line of dialogue.

"Why don't you put her in neutral and see if we can get to the end of the block any slower".

Joe turned and looked at his brother.

"You have nothing to be afraid of Joe, this is your home, our home" Jamie stated.

"I know that, but I haven't been back here in eight and half years. It's spooky" He replied.

The car crossed the intersection at Harbor Lane. Only two houses were situated on the west side of Harbor View Terrace with the Reagan house being the second.

Danny's Jeep and Erin's Volvo were already parked out front as was Eddie's silver Porsche and a black Jeep Wrangler. "Whose Wrangler?" Joe inquired as he pulled to the front of the line and parked in front of Danny.

"Jack's" Jamie answered.

"Boyle?" Joe inquired.

"No silly, your nephew. He's at NYU now so he needs wheels. Danny bought it used for him this summer and I looked it over but hey, now that the family's master mechanic is back, you can give it your personal attention" Jamie grinned.

"Wow, he's old enough to drive. Last time I saw him he was a cute little eight year old who was afraid of girls giving him cooties" Joe stated.

"Well, now he's taller than Danny and he sure isn't afraid of cooties, he has a girlfriend" Jamie informed his brother, further shocking him.

The brothers were so engrossed in conversation they never saw their father walk up to the side of the car. Frank gently knocked on Jamie's window which he rolled down.

"Beautiful car Joe, looks somewhat familiar. You seem to have a penchant for silver 71 Chevys" Frank deduced.

Joe shut off the El Camino and slowly exited from the driver's side while Jamie bailed out the passenger door.

"Found her in Mexico. Working on her helped keep my sanity".

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" Frank stated.

"Exactly" Joe replied. "DEA brought her out of Mexico and did a full restoration as my parting gift".

Frank walked around the silver Chevy admiring the beautiful lines. "I came close to getting one of these myself but I knew that I needed the backseat for you and your siblings, hence the Chevelle. Where do you keep her at night?" He inquired.

"In the garage under Jamie's apartment building but if I come stay with you for a while, I guess I'll keep her in the garage" Joe stated.

"Hmm, might be a tight fit, but I think we can make it work" Frank answered.

"What tight fit, there's nothing in there" Jamie noted.

"Walk with me boys" Frank commanded as he led his two younger sons down the Harbor View Terrace sidewalk before turning west on 82nd Street. When he got to the garage door he reached in his pocket and pushed the button.

The garage door began to lift and as it did, the distinct sound of pure mechanics could be heard starting up. As soon as the door cleared, Danny slowly pulled the Chevelle out.

When he reached the sidewalk he put the car in park and stared at his brothers with a rare ear to ear grin.

"Welcome home son" Frank stated as he hugged Joe.

Joe was awestruck. He slowly began walking around his baby, his hand gently caressing her fenders, her trunk lid, even the roof line.

"I don't understand, I thought she was totaled" Joe inquired.

"The term "totaled" is often exaggerated and misapplied" Frank stated. "The night Jamie was in the accident, I was contacted by the precinct captain who ran the plates which came back to Jamie. He had heard my youngest was on the force and suspected it was him so he ran a further search for prior owners and my name popped up so he had the car impounded and called me. I didn't want to confront Jamie as to what happened so I let it go to see how he handled it. Once the insurance company paid off, I bought the car from the insurance company before a salvage title could be issued and had the Chevelle warehoused. Once I knew that you were alive, I had it towed over to a place that specializes in repair work on classic cars. All she needed was a new front end, radiator, fenders, hood, grill, and front fascia. Once she was back together, they fixed the brakes and gave her a new paint job and a tune up, never touched the rest of your engine".

"I don't know Dad, since Joe has that sweet El Camino he talked about, and now that I'm single, I'm putting in my dibs for this beauty" Danny stated.

"Yes, but if you recall, Dad did give me the car" Jamie countered.

"Which the insurance company paid you for" Frank reminded him.

"It's really your car now Dad, so it's your decision" Jamie acknowledged.

"I'm just teasing Joe, it's always been yours. I guess I do enough driving in a hot rod while on duty, I kind of like my Jeep for my personal ride" Danny replied.

"Jamie?" Frank inquired.

"It's always been Joe's car, I just drove it so that I had a part of him with me. I'm more than happy for Joe to have her back now that I have him back" Jamie smiled.

"What a kiss ass" Danny smirked.

Frank pulled the title out from his pocket along with a copy of the registration and handed them to Joe. "I used this address for now".

Joe looked down to see that the title and license plate registration had already been transferred into his name.

"Thank you Dad really, you don't know what this means to me" Joe stated.

"I think I do" Frank smiled as he hugged his son again.

"How about you take her for a drive around the block and then come see your grandfather and nephews. Give Jamie the keys to the El Camino, he'll park it in the garage and you can park the Chevelle next to it when you get back" Frank instructed.

"Move over Jay Leno because we now have Joe's Garage" Danny teased.

"Only 1971 Chevrolet models permitted" Jamie joked.

"And only if they are Nevada Silver in color" Frank followed.

"Okay, so I have a type. Instead of women, it's cars" Joe laughed.

"Oh you have a type in women alright, the only requirement is that she have a pulse" Danny shot back as he got out of the Chevelle and walked over to Joe. "Give me the keys to the El Camino, I want to take a spin, who knows, I may borrow it from you to take on a date.

Joe gladly handed Danny the keys. "Keep it under 100 okay, I don't want to have to bail it out of the pound like I did the Chevelle".

"That was your mistake, never let your sister drive your sled, especially when said sister is Erin" Danny sagely noted as he walked around towards the front of the house.

A minute later Joe pulled out onto 82nd Street in the Chevelle with Danny behind him in the El Camino.

"Better notify the local precinct of a possible drag race up Shore Road" Jamie stated.

"Five bucks on Danny" Frank stated.

"No way, the Chevelle has a 454, the El Camino only has a 396" Jamie noted.

Frank nodded then looked at Jamie. "You okay with this?" He inquired.

"More than okay. Like I said, it always was his car and he gave it up to go undercover. The more of his old life he can get back, the sooner that all of him will come home to us and I'll take my brother over a car any day" Jamie said.

"You've always been wise and empathetic, you're so much like your mom, it's what makes you special to me. Anything I can do to soften the blow?" Frank inquired.

Jamie smiled. "As a matter of fact, I wouldn't normally ask for a favor from the P.C., but it's such a small one" Jamie stated.

"And that is"? Frank inquired in his serious tone.

"Maybe he could see to it that Detective Daniel Reagan is assigned to the Puke Parade detail next March" Jamie grinned.

Frank nodded his head as he smiled. "I think that can be arranged, but don't tell your father Officer Reagan, he may not appreciate you putting your brother in a position to get barfed on, yet again".

"Mum's the word Sir" Jamie replied as he saluted.

"Let's go inside, I can hear them approaching" Frank stated.

"That's the sound of pure mechanics Dad, nothing but pure mechanics" Jamie smiled as his father hugged him on their way back into the garage.


	37. Chapter 37

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

3:45 p.m.

Danny had backed the El Camino into the west side of the two car garage and watched as Joe slowly backed the Chevelle into the eastern half.

"Yo!" Danny called out causing Joe to hit the brakes.

"Perfect" Danny noted.

Joe shut off the engine and climbed out from behind the wheel.

"So, how's she run?" Danny asked.

"Like a wet dream" He grinned. "How'd you like the El Camino?" Joe inquired.

"You know, if I wear a leather jacket and jeans, I could see myself taking some babe out for dinner or maybe to a movie or bowling" Danny hypothesized.

"Dan, I know that it's only been six months, but you have to get back out there. Don't be like Dad and Pops. You're too young and your sons are growing up on you. You don't want to wind up being the third generation of widower sitting around here when you aren't on duty, wondering how life passed you by". Joe stated as he leaned against the Chevelle's fender and pointed Danny's butt at the El Camino, where upon Danny leaned against it.

"I know, it's just, I'm not like you, I can't just hit on women. Took me forever to work up the nerve to ask Linda out. I guess I'm more like Jamie, hell, he pussyfooted around Janko for four years before Dad finally told them to shit or get off the pot" Danny explained.

"No shit" Joe commented.

"Yeah, gave them each a Get Out of Jail Free Card from the Monopoly game. Told them that if they wanted to be a couple, to trade it in on their partnership. Otherwise, they were in deep shit if they kept trying to hide it". Danny replied.

Joe nodded. "So tell me, what happened with the Boy Wonder and Sydney?"

Danny took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"You know, I never thought she was right for him" Danny began.

"You more than made that obvious to us" Joe reminded him.

"Turned out, I was right. She became engaged to a lawyer and no way was she gonna marry a cop" Danny said.

"Because of what happened to me?" Joe asked.

"I think in the back of her mind she worried it could happen to him, but truthfully, she was looking at bank account sizes, BMWs, law partnerships, and someday opening Reagan and Reagan with her most likely being the first name on the door" Danny answered.

"More like Davenport & Reagan" Joe surmised.

"See, that's exactly the way she treated him. Anyway, the day he graduated the academy, he gets approached by FBI Agent Anderson who tries to recruit him to fill your spot in the Blue Templar but something about her set off his radar. He's always been good about sensing things, so anyway, he tells her no and begins doing his own investigation into what happened to you. One night Syd's in bed and Jamie gets up in the middle of the night and starts doing research on you and Lydia Gonzalez, and it wasn't the first time. Syd wakes up in the morning, tells him that she has an offer to move to London for six months and work in a firm over there. The kid all but told her to go for it, he knew they weren't ever going to be happy" Danny concluded.

"I wonder" Joe began.

"No, if you had been here nothing would have changed. Erin and I asked Jamie a couple of years ago that if they had stayed together and gotten married, where would they be and you know what, he said either divorced or in the process of an ugly divorce and it really didn't matter whether he was a cop or a lawyer, because he'd never be able to live up to her ideal of who she wanted him to be, as a reflection of her. It's just not who we Reagans are" Danny concluded.

Just then the door to the garage opened and Henry stood in the back hallway looking out. "You've been out there for over eight years, plan on coming in any time soon?" He yelled at Joe.

Joe broke into a big smile as he jogged up to his grandfather and hugged him.

"Let me look at you" Henry smiled back. "God answered my prayers"

"Yes he did, and he answered mine by keeping you around long enough for me to get back to you" Joe stated.

"Come on, let's go eat and then you can tell me all about your adventure" Henry ordered. "Come on Danny, dinner isn't going to get eaten by itself" Henry called out.

"If Danny's there, it won't get eaten by anyone else" Joe remarked.

"First the kid and now you, what is this, pick on Danny day?" He asked.

"It is Turkey Day" Erin replied from the kitchen.

"Looks like you have your answer Mr. Gobbler" Henry teased.

"Danny went out to the staircase and called up. Jack, Sean, Nicky, dinner's ready"

"Okay Dad" Jack replied as they came down the stairs, Nicky doing her best to stifle a smile.

"Come in here" Danny called out from the kitchen.

Jack entered first and he couldn't believe his eyes. "Holy shit" he exclaimed.

"Jack Reagan, watch your mouth or I will wash it out with soap" Erin threatened.

"Sorry Aunt Erin, but, it can't be, I mean, who is this" He asked.

"Exactly who you think he is Jack" Danny said.

"I'll be damned" Sean let slip out.

"And you young man aren't too old to be turned over my knee" Erin warned.

The boys looked at Nicky. "He's really who you think he is" She confirmed.

"How do you know?" Jack asked.

"I ran into mom, your dad, and Uncle Jamie last night and he was sitting with them" She replied.

Joe just stood there amused by his nephews' inability to accept the inevitable reality before them. "Just like their father" he thought.

The boys both turned to him. "Uncle Joe?" They simultaneously inquired.

Joe walked over to his nephews and wrapped his arms around them in a group hug.

"I'll tell you all about it, but I had to fake my own death in order to protect all of you and now that we are all safe again I'm home for good" He informed them.

"Does that mean Uncle Jamie has to give the Chevelle back to you?" Sean inquired.

When everyone looked at him he shrugged his shoulders. "Saw it in the garage last week and I thought grandpa was going to surprise Uncle Jamie with it" He innocently replied.

"No Jack, that's your uncle's car, always was, I just borrowed it for a while" Jamie answered.

"Come on, let's sit down. There's a chair at the table that has missed a certain butt for the past eight and a half years" Danny stated.

"Now you know where his sons get it from" Jamie winked at Joe.

"That's one thing I have always known" Joe grinned back.

Seated at the table were Jack Boyle and Eddie Janko. Joe gave Eddie a kiss on the cheek and Boyle a hug.

"Thanks for everything Jack, sorry I had to put you through it all" Joe stated.

"Nonsense, I'm just glad you're back and in one piece too" He stated.

"Speaking of back, I didn't tell you last night, but Jack and I are back together too" Erin grinned.

"Fantastic" Joe replied as he gave his sister a kiss on the cheek before shaking Jack's hand.

Erin was seated to Frank's right followed by Nicky, Jack Boyle, Eddie, and Jamie who was seated to Henry's left.

Jack and Sean took the middle chairs on the opposite side.

Danny looked over at Joe. "Want to sit next to Dad?" He inquired.

"I'll sit next to the old tank here, I kind of missed him" Joe smiled as he sat next to his grandfather.

"Smart ass" Henry quipped.

Frank looked around the table. For the first in a long time, all four of his children were seated before him.

"At each Thanksgiving Dinner, we take the time to give thanks for that we are grateful for" He began.

"However, this Thanksgiving is bittersweet. We've lost our Linda who brought a vibrancy to this table, and to all of us, and who challenged us to be better people, not just cops, or lawyers, or students, and to always examine our humanity in how we went about our lives and in our dealings with others. I for one miss her deeply. On the happier side, Joe has returned to us and though a new wound exists from our loss of Linda, an old wound has healed by having my son back, to have all my children here with me tonight, and for that alone I am truly grateful but even more so, my daughter and my youngest son have both found love" Frank smiled "and I am so happy for them both, and to welcome Eddie to our Thanksgiving table, and to welcome Jack back to it. I hope that in the future, my other sons may find the joy and happiness their brother and sister are currently experiencing".

As they went around the table, everyone else expressed their gratitude of the day with Joe electing to go last.

"There is so much that I can say that the food will be cold by the time I am only part way through. What I will say is that the thought of this family is what sustained me during my time in the Mexican wilderness and almost every night as I sat on my back porch in Juarez, I would look not towards the north and the lights of El Paso, but northeast towards Brooklyn as I thought of each and every one of you. I am grateful to all who helped bring me in from the cold, and who have accepted me back into the warmth of this familial bosom" Joe concluded.

"Let's join hands" Frank said. "Joe, would you lead"?

"With pleasure Dad" Joe stated as he began the grace.

After dinner and dessert, Joe gave everyone a synopsis of what he had been doing for the past eight and a half years and more importantly, how he had faked his death, and Linda's help in doing so.

The boys were astounded that their mother could have done such a thing but Danny and Joe made sure that they understood she was as much of a hero in protecting their family as Joe had been, and that the secret of never being able to tell that Joe was alive had to have been a terrible burden to bear, especially on Joe's birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and most of all, May 15th of each year.

Finally, the party broke up as the only football game remaining was the Giants vs the Redskins and no self-respecting Reagan, would ever watch the Giants unless they were playing the Jets.

Joe had planned to head back to Jamie's but his younger brother was taking off with his girlfriend so Joe would spend the night in his old room, and catch up with his father and grandfather.

Once Henry had called it a night, Frank pulled out two cigars and motioned towards the garage.

He opened the main door and they each picked up a lawn chair and placed them in front of the cars. Joe sat in front of the El Camino and Frank the Chevelle.

"These two cars really do look good together" Frank noticed.

"I see you still enjoy a good smoke" Joe commented as he took one of the cigars and snipped the tip.

"You do recall your Rudyard Kipling do you not" Frank inquired as he lit up.

"From his poem, 'The Betrothed', 'There are a million Maggies who are willing to wear the yoke. A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke'" Joe recited before lighting his cigar.

Frank smiled. "Danny finally gave them up and Jamie never got into them. Erin will take a puff now and then, but you and I were always the two who enjoyed this time together"

"And I look forward to many more" Joe replied, his normally cheery temperament slightly off.

"Something's on your mind" Frank quickly deduced.

"There are two things that I can think of that remain to be attended to" Joe noted.

"And those are?" Frank inquired.

"My grave for starters. I want to remove the headstone, exhume the casket, and fill in the hole. It creeps me out when I visit Mom, Grandma, and Linda" Joe replied.

"That I can understand and I will contact the M.E. on Monday. I'm sure your sister can handle the legal end of it for you, what else?" He inquired.

"Before I went into Mexico, the DEA had me take flying lessons. I obtained my pilot's license and while in Mexico, I did a fair amount of flying, both for legal and illegal purposes. Suffice to say, I'm a damned good pilot, both fixed and rotary wing" Joe explained.

"You want a transfer to aviation?" Frank asked.

"No, nothing of the sort. I was just wondering if you would like to take a flight with me this Saturday, I had planned on visiting an old friend currently housed Upstate. I think that he would enjoy seeing me face to face" Joe noted.

Frank got the gist. "Malevsky's dead".

"Sorry, allow me to clarify. I didn't mean an old friend of mine, I meant an old friend of yours" Joe noted as he stared southwest towards Juarez, the lit end of his cigar glowing a bright and angry red like the mood behind his eyes.


	38. Chapter 38

Authors Note:

I find it amazing that with all the factual information, the humor, and the writing I put into this story, and yes, that includes using the Queen's English and not the garbage most people speak today and call English, that some of the comments I receive call out the most irrelevant things or perceived discrepancies between this story and what may have been revealed on the show itself over the years.

It's like being a burn victim, having 99% of your skin perfectly grafted, and then picking at the one remaining scab while you complain about it.

Some people really need a good spanking from Erin Reagan followed by an enema.

It's called Artistic License and I can fashion the characters in any way I desire. If you want to comment on MY story as written, great, but why comment about why I had Danny act differently than he did in an episode 5 years ago. Probably because I don't care what happened then, this is the here and now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Friday, November 24, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

8:00 a.m.

Joe lazily walked into the kitchen to find Henry waiting with breakfast.

"About time you got up, your father's been gone almost an hour" Henry remarked as he pointed to a counter stool and told Joe to have a seat.

"Yes, but I'm an unemployed bum until Monday morning so I might as well sleep in while I can" Joe replied.

"You start back on Monday? Isn't that a little soon?" Henry asked.

"Actually, its two weeks at the Academy. I have to become current on the law, self-defense, and of course firearms proficiency" Joe noted as Henry placed a cup of coffee and a plate of bacon and eggs before him. "Thanks Pops" Joe stated.

"Like you need a refresher at anything, and I'll bet you're still a damned good shot too" Henry stated.

"I had a lot of practice shooting at cactus, you'd be surprised at what amuses Mexican drug lords" Joe answered.

"So if you're unemployed, why are you dressed?" Henry asked.

"I have to head back over to 99th Tenth Avenue and give my boss the courtesy of a face to face goodbye, let him know the NYPD wants me back" Joe replied. "After that, I'll start looking for a place to live" Joe remarked.

"Why not stay here for a while, or with Jamie?" Henry inquired.

"Jamie has a girlfriend. He doesn't need his big brother walking in on him when he's getting busy nor do I need him doing the same to me. We aren't teenagers anymore, we each need our own space, and as for here, same reasons plus, no man feels like an adult when he lays his head in his parent's house at night" Joe answered.

"I can understand and respect that, especially as you had years of total independence and you always were the wild one when it came to the ladies" Henry replied as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Danny may have gotten your cop instincts and a lot of your attitude for the job, but when it comes to women, I am the chip off the old block" Joe grinned.

"True Dat" Henry laughed "So what kind of place are you looking for?"

"One that has a great view, two bedrooms and two baths, and underground parking for at least 3 cars.

"Three, you've only got two" Henry noted.

"Yeah, but I'm not driving either of those once the snows hit, I'll get a used Jeep or something"

"In that case, just leave those two in the garage, it's heated. Just cover them up for the winter and when you come over, you can start them every now and then" Henry noted.

"Yeah, but in the summer, I'll want them with me so I'll need the space anyway, but thanks for the winter storage offer, that's a great idea" Joe accepted.

Friday, November 24, 2017

99 Tenth Avenue

Manhattan, NY

8:50 a.m.

Joe flashed his NYPD badge and was granted entry to the DEA's underground parking garage.

He parked the Chevelle and had just exited when he noticed Veronica Molina walking his way.

"Don't tell me you got rid of the El Camino already?" She inquired.

"No, it's at my dad's house. This was my car the night Malevsky tried to kill me" He replied.

"You got a thing for old silver Chevy's huh?" She noted while looking over the sporty Chevrolet. "Let me guess, a '71".

"Mea Culpa" Joe answered.

"Come on upstairs, Corradi wants to share an idea with you" Molina informed him.

Once seated inside Corradi's office, the SSA pulled a folder from his desk.

"These are your resignation papers. All I have to do is sign them and you're free so to speak however, Agent Molina has an idea and I support it" Corradi stated.

Joe leaned forward in his chair. "And that is?"

"As you know we have a special agent who is the local liaison between the Agency and the NYPD. That special agent is retiring at the end of the year. There is nobody better suited to replace that special agent than you as you have worked for both institutions and understand how they both operate. You also have the respect of both the Agency and the Department, and the agents and officers sworn to serve" Corradi stated.

"And I have the ear of the top man at the NYPD you forgot to add" Joe replied.

"You also have the ear of the top man at the Agency when you want it, and that comes from him along with his direct office, home, and cell phone numbers, should you accept this offer" Corradi informed Joe.

"First and foremost, I'm an NYPD Detective. I don't want to get drawn back into the drug war, I want to investigate homicides or work Major Case. The only time I can help as a liaison is when a situation arises between the Agency and the NYPD in which I may broker a solution or arrangement" Joe responded.

"Agreed, we have no intention of pulling you back into the drug war. You're management now and that requires you to help the DEA and the NYPD speak the same language, as in the case your brother and Agent Molina worked that uncorked the entire operation that brought you home" Corradi replied.

"Same pay and benefits?" Joe inquired.

"No, you received the equivalent of combat pay working undercover in Mexico. Shave that by thirty percent but, you will get some of that back in a cost of living allowance so along with your NYPD salary, you'll be doing quite well" Corradi stated.

"My credentials?" Joe asked.

Corradi handed them back. "Never turned them in. As for your service weapon".

"I'll carry whatever the NYPD issues me" Joe responded.

"That was going to be my recommendation as well, particularly as you won't be working for us in the field" Corradi responded.

"In that case, I have one request. If that's doable, then I'm your guy" Joe stated as he began to explain what he wanted in return.

Corradi nodded. "You have yourself a deal Agent Reagan. I'll get the Justice Department involved first thing Monday morning" He said as he stood to shake Joe's hand.

Joe spent the remainder of the morning driving around Manhattan, noticing the differences that eight plus years had made. New businesses where others he recalled once thrived, new buildings where others he recalled had once proudly stood as part of the city's fabled skyline. What never changed and what brought a smile to his face were the sounds and smells of the city, and the constant hustle and bustle of the people, all in a hurry to get somewhere for no other city, except for maybe Tokyo, placed such a high economic value on each minute of the day.

Finally, he headed to his old command, the Warrant Squad located at 80-45 Winchester Blvd in Queens.

Joe walked into the building that had always reminded him of a college dorm as opposed to the headquarters of one of the elite units of the NYPD. In fact, very little about the exterior of the building screamed NYPD and rarely were marked cars seen on the property.

He walked over to the wall that housed the photographs of former Members of the unit lost in the line of duty and sure enough, he found himself staring at his own face.

"Joseph Conor Reagan, E.O.W. May 15, 2009"

"End of Watch my ass" Joe thought as he looked around for a command sergeant, finally locating one who he brought over to the wall.

"Do me a favor and remove that photograph from the wall" Joe stated.

"What's it to you?" The Sergeant asked.

Joe looked at him in disbelief as he pointed at the photo and then himself. "Duh" He replied before flashing his NYPD credentials.

"Holy shit, you're not dead" the sergeant replied.

"You should have been a detective" Joe responded before leaving the flummoxed sergeant to his task while he walked around the station, drawing the curious stare of a number of officers and detectives, many of whom he did not recognize.

"Reagan" He heard called out. "Joe Reagan?"

He turned to find the squad's commanding officer, who had been a fellow detective when Joe last roamed these halls.

Joe smiled as he walked up to the boss. "Marco, how are you?" Joe inquired.

"As I live and breathe, Joe Reagan" Captain Marco Garibaldi replied as he touched Joe to be sure he was real.

"We all thought Malevsky killed you" Garibaldi stated before Joe told him the truth.

In the middle of the conversation, the sergeant walked over and interrupted. "Captain, Detective Reagan wants his photo removed from the wall"

"Well isn't it obvious Stan, he's not dead so get it the hell down from there" Garibaldi ordered.

"Yes Sir" the sergeant replied.

"Hard to get good help these days?" Joe inquired with a smile.

"You don't know the half of it Joe, so, you coming back to us?" He inquired.

"No Marco, I'm putting in for Major Case, work alongside my brother or at least be a part of the same unit with him." Joe replied.

Marco smiled. "Danny is the best of the best. I hear that your little brother's making quite the name for himself too"

"Jamison, and yes he is. We can't get him to accept a gold shield, he would rather help prevent problems than have to deal with the aftermath like Danny does" Joe responded.

"Sounds like he should take the Sergeant's exam. A cop like him has a lot to teach these young pissants coming out of the Academy, thinking they have it all figured out because it's in a blog or on their computer" Garibaldi replied.

"I'll mention that to him Marco" Joe promised.

A few minutes later, he was back in the Chevelle and headed towards a real estate office in Brooklyn. It was time to decide where he wanted to begin living the rest of his life.

Saturday, November 25, 2017

East Bound Southern State Parkway

Passing North Massapequa, NY

7:45 a.m.

Frank Reagan smiled as he piloted the El Camino eastbound on the Southern State Parkway towards MacArthur Airport.

Joe looked over and saw the expression on this old man's face.

"I take it you enjoy driving her" Joe noted.

"I enjoy driving, I don't get to do much of it anymore. When I got the Chevelle back I drove it now and then but there was something missing to it" Frank replied.

"What was that?" Joe inquired.

Frank looked over. "You, and yes, this is a very fine piece of automotive machinery and it's bringing back memories and making me wonder what life may have it been like thirty odd years ago with an El Camino instead of the Chevelle".

"Speaking of the old days, Jamie told me that Lenny Ross wrote a book about you" Joe stated.

"'Back in the Day' and it wasn't about me, it was about what went on during on time as partners" Frank corrected.

"Did he ever publish it?" Joe inquired.

"Was supposed to have but I haven't seen it or been given an autographed copy" Frank answered.

"But you read the raw version" Joe noted.

"I did, and no, your brothers have not and neither will you until it's published" Frank adamantly stated.

"Why not, I'd be proud to know what you were like in those days, how much of that Frank Reagan is in me, Danny, and Jamie" Joe stated.

"And Erin" Frank noted.

"Really?" Joe grinned. "So my daddy was a wild man back then".

"I never cheated on your mother, but the opportunities were always there, especially in the 80's when that television show Magnum P.I. was on the air, and all the women thought that I looked like Tom Selleck" Frank replied.

"You never borrowed a red Ferrari from Vice or the pound and drove it around to see what reaction you received?" Joe inquired.

Frank continued to stare down the hood of the El Camino.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, you did and I'll bet that it's in the book" Joe hooted.

"It was on a bet with Lenny. I told him that all that Magnum stuff was in his head, so we went to vice and back then, your grandpa was a Deputy Chief of Patrol so nobody made a stink when I asked to borrow an impounded Ferrari for one afternoon" Frank informed Joe.

"And what happened?" Joe eagerly inquired.

"I lost fifty bucks to Lenny" Frank grudgingly admitted. "But the worst part was that your mother handled our finances so when I came up short the fifty bucks on my next paycheck, and explained why, she told me that if I ever made another bet she'd be using her wooden hairbrush on more than her children's behinds".

Joe laughed. "She wore most of those out on Danny"

"And Erin wore one out on you and another on Jamie" Frank giggled.

"Not funny Dad" Joe responded.

"Sorry" He apologized.

"Anyway, after she made her point, your mother demanded photographic proof. Lenny had taken some photos of me wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a Detroit Tigers baseball cap while standing next to the Ferrari. I showed them to your mom and she told me that it was the real Tom Selleck and who did I think I was fooling".

"She didn't believe it was you?" Joe asked.

"Nope, never did. She said that he must have in town for a promo and that we took the photos while working security for him" Frank smiled.

A mile later Frank exited the parkway, turned onto Arrival Avenue and entered the grounds of MacArthur Airport.

He parked the El Camino whereupon father and son exited the classic car and walked over to the local Fixed Based Operator's office.

Once inside, Joe presented his pilot's license and his DEA credentials.

"Should be a Super King Air 350 out there" Joe stated.

"Got you all set Special Agent Reagan" The FBO employee stated.

"Whose plane?" Frank inquired.

"DEA seized it a few months ago. Still haven't sent it to auction" Joe replied.

"Back to your old habits so soon?" Frank asked.

"What old habits?" Joe asked.

"You think I don't know about your days treating the Gowanus Auto Pound as if it were your personal car lot?" He smiled.

"That was all undercover work related" Joe replied.

"Yeah, but you never went through channels, you just showed up, picked out a car, and drove off" Frank reminded him.

"Paperwork slows down the process and the cars were always returned in the same condition I took them out in" Joe stated.

"Just like Danny, the ends justify the means" Frank nodded.

"In the grand scheme of things, sometimes they do Dad" Joe gruffly replied. "Let's go, we're all checked out here, and for the record, the SSA of the New York Field Office authorized both this trip and my use of the plane".

Joe did a walk around the plane and checked all the control surfaces while Frank manipulated the controls.

Then he did a fuel and tire check before climbing into the left seat.

He pulled out the plane's log book and examined it for any recent entries or important notices to other pilots. Seeking none, he made his own entry as pilot in command from MacArthur to Malone-Dufort in upstate New York.

Next he began spooling up the plane by turning on the master battery switch, the avionics and communication suites, and starting the two turbo prop engines.

He handed his father a set of headphones and showed him how to toggle the mic to communicate both within the aircraft, and with the towers and other controllers.

"MacArthur Tower, this is King Air 446 Whiskey Alpha requesting taxi for departure to Malone-Dufort" Joe stated.

"King Air 446 Whiskey, MacArthur Tower, wind is calm, state your preferred departure runway.

Joe wanted to head to the north. Runway Six would head them to the north east while runway Three Three Left would have them departing towards the north west, therefore either runway was acceptable. With the threshold of Runway Three Three Left being closer to the apron, Joe would have to taxi less distance than he would with any of the remaining runways.

"MacArthur Tower, King Air 446 Whiskey Alpha will accept Runway Three Three Left for departure" Joe advised.

"King Air 446 Whiskey Alpha, taxi to and hold short of Runway Three Three Left".

Joe acknowledged the instruction and proceeded to his holding position.

He and Frank watched as a small regional jet landed on Runway Six that bisected their departure runway, hence the hold.

Once the jet had cleared the zone, Joe was instructed to line up and wait for takeoff clearance.

"You ready" He asked Frank.

Frank looked over at Joe and smiled. "I was born ready" He grinned.

"King Air 446 Whiskey Alpha, MacArthur Tower. Wind calm, turn right heading three five five and climb to five thousand, runway Three Three Left, cleared for takeoff" The tower ordered.

"Right to Three Five Five, climb to Five thousand, King Air 446 rolling" Joe responded as he advanced the throttles causing the King Air 350 to speed down the runway before gracefully pointing her nose towards the morning sky.


	39. Chapter 39

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Enroute to Malone, NY

9:00 a.m.

Joe looked over at his father and keyed his mic: "We're at 18,000 feet and cruising at a brisk 350 miles per hour".

The twin turbo prop engines smoothly purred once Joe had adjusted the blade pitch from power to cruise mode.

Their destination was Malone, New York. Located 83 miles southwest of Montreal, Quebec and 25 miles south of the St. Lawrence River and the international border with Canada, it was a small town bisected by U.S. Highway 11.

Malone was a prison town, and the people that lived there primarily did so to service the three prisons owned and operated by the New York State Department of Corrections.

Located about one mile from the departure end of Malone Airport's Runway 4, was the Franklin Correctional Facility, a medium security prison for men.

A little over a mile northwest of Franklin, was the Bare Hill Correctional Facility, another medium security prison for men.

Located immediately north of Bare Hill, was Frank and Joe's destination, the Upstate Correctional Facility. Opened in 1998, this was New York State's first prison to be designed and built as a Supermax and it housed the worst offenders that New York State had to offer, including a certain corrupt former NYPD Lieutenant who Frank had made the mistake of trusting with the lives of both Joe and Jamie.

Joe contacted Malone-Dufort airport and was cleared for a straight in visual approach to Runway 5.

He expertly landed the Super King Air and taxied to the ramp. After disembarking, Joe paid the local FBO to refuel the plane and have it ready to depart within ninety minutes.

While he was doing this, Frank contacted the prison advising they had arrived and was informed that a car was being sent to collect them and transport them back to Upstate Correctional.

Twenty minutes later, Frank and Joe had surrendered their firearms, cleared security, and had been ushered to the interview room where the inmate was waiting.

"How about you go in first and lay the foundation like we discussed" Joe suggested.

"Sounds good to me" Frank replied as he walked over to the door leading to the interview room. Joe was taken to a neighboring room where he could watch and listen via an audio/visual system, however, no recording would be made of their discussion with the prisoner.

The inmate heard the door open and looked up to see his former boss walk in. To say he was shocked was to put it mildly as nobody had told him who this meeting would be with. Putting that aside, Frank Reagan was about the last person in the world that he expected to see.

"Hello Alex" Frank greeted the former Internal Affairs Buerau Lieutenant.

"Hi Frank" Bello cautiously replied.

"Mind if I have a seat?" Frank inquired to which Bello nodded.

To say that the past seven years had not been kind to Alex Bello would have been an understatement. His skin pallor was poor, he had lost much of the weight and muscle he once carried, his eyes were watery and sunken into his face, and he has lost quite a bit of his hair.

Frank observed this but not one part of him held any sympathy or empathy for the man who had ordered the death of his two younger sons.

"I'd ask how you were doing, but I can see that prison life doesn't agree with you" Frank began.

"I sometimes think that Malevsky had the right idea" Bellow replied.

"I'm sure Sonny has found a special place in Hell for his actions against my boys" Frank responded.

"Frank, you have to know, it was never personal, we never wanted to hurt either Joseph or Jamison" Bellow stated.

"No Alex, you just wanted to make sure that you had your retirement well-funded at the expense of the people you killed and stole from, at the expense of the trust of the citizens of New York City, at the expense of the department that empowered you to protect those citizens, even the criminals, and finally, at the expense of two sworn officers of that department who were only doing their jobs" Frank replied in as cool a manner as he could muster because right now, it would be easy for him to take matters into his own hands and give Alex Bello the death sentence that the legislature of New York State prevented from being carried out.

"I came up here today to give you some information. Actually, I flew. One of my sons is a pilot and he flew me up. Turns out he's quite the renaissance man" Frank informed Bello.

"I always thought that Jamison was capable of anything he set his mind to" Bellow replied.

"So do I, but this isn't Jamison. He's what our family calls our walking computer. Erin used to say that if you fed him information and pushed his nose, the correct answer would come out of his mouth" Frank laughed, "You know it was Jamie who solved what happened to Joe and pointed us in your direction. Blew the lid off the Blue Templar he did".

"So it must be Danny" Bello remarked.

"Danny? No. When it comes to being a cop, he's a lot like my father but where Henry is a renaissance man of his day, Danny didn't seem to inherit that part of him. My eldest son is happy with a burger and a beer, raising his boys, watching sports, and solving cases and you know what? He's still one of my best detectives".

"I'm kind of at a loss here Frank, I thought you only had three sons, and with Joe gone, that just leaves Danny and Jamison, unless you're trying to tell me something" Bello replied.

"You know Alex, it's really not my place to tell you. Why don't I let you hear it directly from the horse's mouth as it were" Frank grinned.

"Guard" Frank shouted out at which point the door opened and in walked Joe.

Bello's mouth dropped as far as it could. "I'm sure that you remember my son Joseph, the detective you ordered Sonny Malevsky to execute back on May 15, 2009.

"Hello Alex" Joe stated as he pulled another chair up to the table and sat next to his father.

Bello was confused. "How can this be Joe, Malevsky killed him. You held a wake, there was a Mass, the Department gave him an Inspector's Funeral" Bello stated.

Joe leaned forward. "Let's just say that Malevsky wasn't the brightest candle in the Menorah and that I'm much more like my younger brother in the brains department than all of you gave me credit for. Suffice to say that I knew that the Templar was onto me so I planned ahead and faked my death when the time came. A shame really as I only needed to go on one actual raid with Malevsky and his team of corrupt cops and then I would have been able to turn all of you in but unfortunately, you decided to get rid of me first".

"If you knew what we were doing, why didn't you go to your father with it" Bello asked.

"Because I wasn't working solely for the NYPD, or the FBI as you and Agent Anderson erroneously believed. You see, on May 5th, ten days before you ordered Malevsky to kill me, I was sworn in as a Special Agent of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, which is to who I reported. I only fed Anderson the information that the DEA wanted her to have, knowing that it would be immediately passed on to you or Malevsky" Joe stated.

"So if you aren't dead, then there's no murder rap hanging over me. I'm entitled to a new trial or at the least, a new sentence".

"That's correct, however, you can still be tried by the King's County District Attorney's Office for the attempted murder of a police officer, namely me, but that's not going to happen because instead, you will be tried by the United States Attorney's office for the attempted murder of a federal agent, me" Joe announced.

"I had no idea that you were a Fed" Bello protested.

"Irrelevant, the concept here is attempted murder. You certainly knew that I was a detective in the NYPD so it hardly matters that you didn't know that I was simultaneously a DEA Special Agent. It's the act that counts, not your _mens rea_ as to an unknown fact, besides, undercover DEA Special Agents don't go around advertising who they are, I mean, that would sort of defeat the purpose of working undercover now wouldn't it?" Joe retorted.

"I'm already six years in to a fifteen-year sentence on my plea deal, so how much would I get from the Feds because it would likely just get lumped in with my current sentence" Bello replied.

"Actually, that's where you are wrong. Whatever plea agreement you previously made was with the Kings County DA, not with the Justice Department. Furthermore, that plea was only for your criminal actions under New York State law. As the Statute of Limitations on the federal charges you will be facing have not expired, not only will you be charged with my attempted murder, but with violating the Federal RICO Act along with whatever else the U.S. Attorney elects to pursue, and whatever sentence you receive, be it by trial or plea agreement, will be held in abeyance until the expiration of your current State sentence, at which time, you will begin serving your Federal sentence which as you know, doesn't offer much leeway for parole or good behavior" Joe informed him.

"Looks like you'll be a very old man once you get out Alex, if you live that long" Frank coldly stated.

"However" Joe continued "I am empowered to make you an offer which if you are smart, you'll discuss with your attorney and accept".

"What offer is that?" Bello nervously asked.

"You're going to turn rat Alex. You are going to give the DEA every bit of information that it can squeeze from you on every single person and entity involved, both in and out of the Blue Templar, and the NYPD. You are going to provide supportive evidence and facts, and you will testify as at each and every trial as required. If you do this, the U.S. Attorney will cap your sentence at 15 years, of which your remaining State sentence will run concurrently, and you'll serve your Federal time, and the remainder of your State sentence at a Federal medium security facility, somewhere warm if you like. Otherwise, you'll be tried, likely found guilty as your current plea agreement can be entered as evidence in the federal trial, and you will serve the full remainder of your State sentence before bring transferred to serve your full Federal sentence where I promise you, that as a convicted drug dealer, you will appreciate the irony of a Rocky Mountain High" Joe stated.

"And where would that be Special Agent?" Frank asked.

"That would be ADX Florence Commissioner, the Federal Supermax" Joe replied as he stared at Bello

Frank weighed in: "And in the meantime, just in case you've grown too comfortable here, I will use my substantial influence to have you transferred to the general population block at Sing Sing where you will serve the remainder of your State sentence".

Bello hung his head.

"Look at me Alex" Joe directed at which point Bello looked up and into the coldest blue eyes he had ever seen.

"It was bad enough that you were involved with Malevsky and the Templar, and that you abused your office, the department, and my father's trust in you in order to carry out your illegal acts, and that you ordered my murder but what is absolutely inexcusable to me, and for which I will never forgive you, is that you ordered the murder Officer Jamison Reagan, you bastard. MY LITTLE BROTHER!" Joe shouted as he brought his fist down hard on the metal table, causing the guard to open the door and inquire if everything was okay.

"We're almost ready to leave" Frank informed the guard.

Joe composed himself before continuing: "Contact your attorney Alex and decide what you want to do. The offer is good for 72 hours. Have your lawyer contact Supervisory Special Agent Corradi at the DEA's New York Field Office on Tenth Avenue in Manhattan. He is expecting an answer either way.

Bello nodded.

"One last thing" Joe stated as he reached into his jacket pocket and removed the newspaper article showing the photograph of the deceased Renaldo Espinoza.

"This is what's left of your Mexican cartel partner, Renaldo Espinoza. Take a good look at that photo Alex because I personally broke his neck, cut his balls off, and ordered him nailed to that cross so if you ever so much as think of hurting me or anyone in my family again, I can promise you that you'll wind up the same condition" Joe warned as he stood up and walked toward the door.

"Nice seeing you again Alex" Frank stated as he rose from his seat and joined Joe.

Once back in the air, Frank looked over and studied his middle son. Joe caught him looking.

"What?" He inquired.

"If this were 100 years ago, one of my sons would have been expected to have become a priest. Your mother always thought that would have been Jamie, where I thought you better suited. I can honestly say that neither of us was correct" Frank stated.

"Why's that?" Joe inquired.

"Jamie is much more like Danny than he'll admit. He has his temperament and when he finally blows, it's more volatile, plus deep down, while he has the conviction, he lacks the empathy for those who cross the line. You on the other hand were always our quietest child but there's a side of you that goes beyond what even Danny is capable of" Frank replied.

"In what way?" Joe asked.

"As a Marine, your brother killed many times, but what you said to Bello, about Espinoza, I can't imagine Danny or Jamie killing an unarmed man with his bare hands, castrating him, and ordering him to be publicly displayed in such a manner" Frank answered.

"I'm not a monster Dad, I did what I was ordered to do and I did it to keep that animal from hurting me or any member of my family. Danny would do the same thing, the only difference, is that unlike me, committing such an act would haunt his sleep for the rest of his life" Joe stated.

"And it doesn't haunt yours?" Frank inquired.

"Not for a minute. When Harry Truman was interviewed years after he had been president, he was asked if he had it to do over, knowing the facts and all, would he have ordered the Atomic Bomb to have been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. His answer was that he did so to save the lives of the estimated one million U.S. servicemen it would have taken to capture the Japanese home islands and end the war, and even knowing the damage those bombs did, he would do it again, and that he had never lost a night's sleep over giving that order. His reasoning was that they started the war and he damned well was going to finish it, and that is my perspective as well. Espinoza came after Danny, Linda, Jack, and Sean because Danny did his job. Nobody fucks with my family and walks away. I'm only sorry that I can't do the same thing to Bello that I did to Espinoza" Joe replied.

Frank nodded for he did understand Joe's logic and was proud of his son for standing up for his convictions.

"One night about four years ago, your siblings asked me that if I could pick one of them as my successor, who would it be. I told Jamie that he had the perspective, Erin that she had the tenacity, and Danny, that he had the fire in the belly" Frank stated.

"Knowing Danny, it was probably just gas" Joe joked.

"Same thing Erin said. I told them to ask me in another year which they never did, but at that moment, I thought that none of them were really suited to fill my shoes as P.C."

"Why?" Joe asked as he made a slight course adjustment on their heading back to MacArthur Airport.

"Because, while Jamie is highly intelligent, he too often second guesses himself. He lacks confidence and that only comes with age and experience. Erin, while tenacious, lets her emotions override her good judgment. As for Danny, we can start with his hair trigger temper, lack of patience, and overall absence of polish required to hold such office" Frank replied.

"So, none of us fit the bill" Joe remarked.

"I didn't say that, I said that your sister and brothers did not. My thought was that you would be the one I would select because you do have the necessary characteristics and qualifications. You're highly intelligent like Jamie, but you have the experience he lacks and once you make a decision, you stick to it. You have Erin's tenacity but you keep your temper in check and don't allow your emotions to govern your actions nor do you get up on your high horse like she's well known to do and unlike Danny, you have patience, are willing to listen to the viewpoints presented by others, are always looking at the big picture, and you play the long game, plus you clean up nicely. In many ways, you turned out to inherit the best of both your mom and me while not inheriting some of our lesser qualities" Frank stated.

Joe thought about what his father had just said and he nodded.

"So you were a bit shocked to discover there was a side of me that can be cold, brutal, and efficient" Joe remarked.

"Yes, but only when duly provoked and such measures are called for, as they once were with me" Frank replied.

"When was this?" Joe asked.

"July of 2011. Some convicted criminals were released from prison due to tainted DNA evidence from the medical examiner's office. One of the criminals was a serial rapist/murderer named Dick Reed whom Erin had successfully prosecuted. She was supposed to meet me for our weekly dinner and when she didn't show or answer my calls or Danny's, I went to her office. When I arrived, Reid had a knife to her throat and was attempting to rape her. I didn't think twice, I put a round right between his eyes" Frank coldly stated.

Joe's eyes began tearing up at the thought of anyone hurting his beloved big sister.

"Never lost a night's sleep over it" Frank stated.

"Why would you have?" Joe inquired.

"Because I could have winged him, shot him in the shoulder or the leg, but he was hurting my daughter. He had gotten out on a technicality and instead of lying low, he walked into the lion's den and attacked my precious little girl, my Erin. If I hadn't gone over there, he would have likely raped and killed her. I was going to be sure that he never had that chance again, and if the same circumstances arose with any of my children, I'd do the exact same thing and give it no further thought" Frank concluded.

"So you and I are more alike than we realize" Joe stated.

"As I said, you have the best qualities of both your mom and me" Frank smiled.

Joe nodded as he keyed his microphone. It was time to check in with the tower at MacArthur Airport.

Fifteen minutes later Joe rolled the Super King Air to a stop on runway One Zero and taxied back to the FBO.

"How about you drive, this trip sort of wore me out" Frank stated.

Joe hugged his father. "Anything for you Dad".

As they walked back to the El Camino, Joe realized that he had bonded more with his father in the last few hours than he had in the past 40 years.


	40. Chapter 40

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

1:05 p.m.

Joe sat on his childhood bed as he loosened his Pancaldi silk tie and kicked off his Bruno Magli dress loafers.

He smiled as he recalled the looks that many of the parishioners had given him as he walked in to Sunday Mass with his family.

Even Father Steven's eyes went wide.

Joe had been seated in the first row between his father and grandfather with Frank having taken his customary aisle seat.

He had to admit that he looked mighty fine in the new three-piece navy pin striped suit he had purchased yesterday afternoon after returning from his meeting with Alex Bello.

In fact, if one didn't know better, he looked more like an attorney than an NYPD Detective/DEA Special Agent and standing next to his little brother, who was wearing a very similar version of the same suit albeit in black, they looked like two partners in a Wall Street law firm.

The attention he received from some of the single females of varying ages was not lost on him either, nor was it lost on his grandfather, father, or brothers. Unfortunately, his sister also noticed and put a stop to it by putting her hand through his arm.

"Now why did you do that"? Joe softly asked.

"Because, Church isn't meant to be your dating pool" She hissed back.

"Lots of guys meet their future wife in Church" Joe replied.

"Somehow, I don't think marriage is your current intent Joseph Conor" Erin snapped back.

"You sound just like Mom" He retorted as he pulled away to take his seat.

Frank turned and looked at Joe once he was seated.

"She's still bossy as ever" Joe complained. "She'd make the guys in Mexico cringe".

Frank nodded. "Some things never change son. She's always ordered Jamie around and since Linda passed Danny's getting his share as well so you better get used to it".

"Three tough New York City Cops being bullied by their sister" Nicky giggled behind Joe.

Joe turned to face her: "Watch it Missy, I haven't forgotten where your ticklish spots are" he deadpanned.

Father Steven approached the lectern.

"Before we begin today's Mass, I would like to welcome Joseph Reagan back into our fold, someone that I, like most of you, thought had joined our Lord in the hereafter" He directed at Joe.

"Thank you Father" Joe replied while offering no further explanation.

Seeing that he was not going to receive one, Father Steven nodded and began the service.

An hour later the Mass concluded and Joe walked up the aisle towards the Church entrance flanked by his brothers. He grinned noticing how the tops of their heads barely cleared his shoulders.

"What's so funny" Danny asked as he noticed the grin.

"Just noticing how short you two runts are compared to Erin and me" He chuckled.

"Hey Kid, you hearing this crap?" He asked Jamie.

"Ignore him Danny, besides, Joe's living proof that you can be six feet four and still have a smaller dick than guys half your height" Jamie replied.

"Boom" Danny laughed at Joe.

Joe looked at Jamie. "You do realize that with one good thump to the top of your head, I can reduce you to four feet five?"

"Knock it off you three, we're still in Church" came the warning.

"Yes Mom" the brothers simultaneously called out to their sister.

Henry smiled and Frank just shook his head.

"You wanted them back together and God answered your prayers" Henry laughed.

"That's okay Pop, I've missed it all these years" Frank replied.

When they reached the exit, Father Steven greeted them. When he shook hands with Joe, he didn't let go.

"Would you have some time this week to have coffee or lunch Joseph?" Father Steven inquired.

"Normally I would love to Father, but I start back at the NYPD Academy tomorrow. Two weeks of reorientation training" Joe answered as he pulled his hand free.

"Perhaps after that as I really am interested in hearing how you managed to escape the grave, particularly after I had hosted such a beautiful Mass" Father Steven stated while looking at Frank and Henry.

Joe leaned in and whispered. "Don't worry Father, you didn't lose your touch with the man upstairs. All I can tell you is that I was working undercover and nobody else knew that funeral wasn't genuine except me and Linda".

Father Steven nodded. "Very well Joseph, go in peace".

"Thank you Father" Joe replied as he went to join his brothers at the foot of Church steps.

"What was that about?" Danny asked.

"He wanted to know if the Church owed a refund for my funeral because it obviously didn't take" Joe laughed, causing his brothers to join in.

Jamie noticed Erin staring at them. "Let's go before we have to call in a 10-13 because you know who is giving us the stink eye".

Erin noticed her father walk up next to her.

"They're up to something" She stated.

"What makes you think so?" Frank inquired.

"The only time those three are that friendly with one another is when they are in cahoots against me, or planning something that gets them into big trouble" She replied.

"Maybe it's just three brothers who have missed each other and are getting reacquainted" Frank noted.

"Why am I always left on the outside, just because I'm the female?" She asked.

"That, and you're not a cop" He answered.

"Yeah, but I'm in the family business" She retorted.

"Not the same. To some degree, Danny was right when he testified that you were safely ensconced in your office or the courtroom while he, and by extension Joe and Jamie, were on the streets putting their lives on the line. Some of what you perceive to be the immature conduct of your brothers is nothing more than their coping mechanisms and how they deal with their jobs, and I'm sorry sweetheart, but having walked in their shoes myself, there's no way you could understand what as cops, they go through" Frank explained.

"I guess you also have to factor in what Danny went though as a Marine, and the life Joe led for the past eight and half years" Erin noted.

"Yes you do. Even Jamie can't fully comprehend how those experiences have shaped his brothers nor can Danny and Joe relate to the life Jamie has led since the day he entered NYU, let alone Harvard".

"All three are so different, yet so alike" Erin stated.

"Danny's the rough one, the fighter, the protector. Joe's the polished one, sympathizer, the empathizer, the one who identifies on an emotional level. Jamie's the refined one, the thinker, the planner. For him it's all about logic and deduction. Danny uses force, Joe intuition, and Jamie logic" Frank replied.

"And me?" Erin inquired.

"You're a combination of all three. I've seen you push, I've seen you approach from an emotional perspective, and I've seen you think things through".

"Bet I'm still the best shot of the four of us" She grinned.

"Of that I have no doubt sweetheart" Frank smiled as he put his arm around his only daughter and began walking her to Joe's car.

Joe, Jamie, Danny, and Henry piled in the Chevelle while Erin drove Frank in the El Camino.

Erin had promised Joe that she would obey the speed limit if he let her drive it.

Jack, Sean and Nicky rode together in Jack's Jeep Wrangler.

Erin noticed her father grinning as they drove back to the house. "What's so funny?" She asked.

"I was just thinking, maybe I can get Joe to leave this car at the house instead of paying to store it wherever he moves" Frank answered.

"Why?" Erin queried.

"Did you see the back of this thing, it's perfect for hauling my fishing gear. Would hold the rods without having to disassemble them, and I could put a lounge chair, tackle box, and a cooler back there too. I'm not getting any younger and it would save me the walk down to the pier" He replied.

Erin laughed: "Not sure he'd go for that, but you can try" She replied.

"This car was designed for a fisherman. Be a waste not to use to go fishing" Frank stubbornly responded as they pulled into the driveway to find the Chevelle already parked and emptied of its passengers.


	41. Chapter 41

Monday, November 27, 2017

The New York City Police Academy

130-30 28th Ave.

College Point, Queens, NY

6:35 a.m.

Joe flashed his gold shield at the officer manning the gate who promptly raised the arm permitting Joe to enter the parking lot of the New York City Police Academy.

He looked over to the main entrance and was impressed.

When Joe had first attended the academy as a recruit, the facility he and his brothers had attended was located at 235 E. 20th Street in Manhattan. That facility was a fraction in size of the brand new state of the art thirty-two-acre campus which sat on the site of a former NYPD Tow Pound on the outskirts of Flushing, New York.

Joe had to admit that he felt a little giddy at the idea of spending the next two weeks requalifying and was sure that some of his time in class would be spent amongst recruits half his age. He'd be sure to tell them a story or two of what life was really like on the streets of New York City.

Joe stepped out of the El Camino to the first real bite of cold he had felt since returning to New York City. Winter was on its way.

He walked around to the passenger side where he retrieved a large leather bag from the seat, before locking the doors and making his way towards the 950-million-dollar 730,000-square foot structure.

Once inside he presented his NYPD credentials and was directed to the office of the Deputy Commissioner for Training.

Upon arriving, Joe again flashed his gold shield and signed in subsequent to which he took a seat and waited until seven o'clock at which time he was directed enter the DCT's private office.

The DCT rose from her desk and extended her hand. "Good morning Detective Reagan. I'm Deputy Commissioner for Training Traci Greene" She greeted before introducing the two other men in the room.

"Captain Hardaway, our Director of Training, and Lieutenant Brasco, who will be supervising your progress".

Joe shook hands with both men before taking the seat he was offered.

"I must say" Greene began "That it's an honor to have one of the Police Commissioner's sons here at the Academy".

"Thank you Deputy Commissioner, I appreciate the welcome, however, just to be clear, regardless of my relationship to the Commissioner, I expect no special treatment. In fact, my last name might as well be Smith" Joe stated.

"We are in full agreement with that" Greene replied. "We've had the opportunity to review your entire NYPD record, as well as what we were presented by the DEA and suffice to say, it's exemplary".

Joe nodded. "I still carry my badge as a Special Agent with the DEA, however that role will be in a reduced capacity as I prefer to resume my duties with the NYPD".

Hardaway leaned forward: "Are you seeking any particular assignment"?

"I can tell you that I am not interested in returning to the Warrants Squad or in being assigned to IA, Vice, or Narcotics" Joe answered to the nods of the other three persons. "Major Case is my primary preference".

"Partner with your brother?" Brasco inquired.

"No, he has an excellent working relationship with his current partner. I'd like to make my own path within the squad which I believe I am more than qualified to do" Joe answered.

"If not Major Case?" Greene asked.

"SVU, Robbery-Homicide, Chief of D's Squad, maybe even ESU or a borough billet, just not Staten Island" Joe answered.

"Says here that you're also qualified in aviation, both rotary and fixed wing" Hardaway referenced Joe's record.

"While that is true, I believe confining me to the cockpit would be a waste of resources" Joe replied.

"Why not take the Sergeant's exam?" Greene inquired.

"I'm an investigator. I have no wish to go back on patrol, besides, my younger brother is about to pursue that route" Joe replied.

"So the purpose of your two weeks here is for us to educate you on the latest laws, perform a psych eval and certify your firearms proficiency and self-defense capabilities" Brasco stated.

"That, and evaluate my overall competency to return to the force along with a recommendation as to where based on my results, I should be assigned" Joe replied.

"How about we get you started then" Greene announced.

Hardaway handed Joe a thin booklet. "Your schedule, and what reading material you'll be required to become current on. We have an excellent library here so feel free to use it. You can draw your study material from there as well".

Brasco looked over and smiled. "First class is at Oh Eight Hundred so that gives you about thirty minutes to report to the locker room, requisition your PT uniform, and be ready for your self-defense class".

Joe stood and saluted his superiors. "Thank you all" He stated before being dismissed.

After Joe had left the room Greene looked at the remaining two officers. "So, what do you think?" She inquired.

"Scuttlebutt I've heard is that of the three brothers, he's the most like the P.C." Hardaway replied.

"His record is exemplary. The Department could use a few thousand more just like him" Brasco noted.

"Then he should make it through the next two weeks without a hitch" Greene stated.

"We may even learn a few things from him" Brasco answered.

Joe found the first day to be exhilarating. Even at 40 years of age he outpaced the 20-year-old cadets in hand to hand combat, in fact, it wasn't even close but in all fairness, they hadn't received even a fraction of the training Joe had endured.

His afternoon commenced with an hour on the gun range. He knew that he remained a better shot than Danny though family talk had it that Jamie was pretty damned good too, and all three knew that Erin was a dead shot. Maybe he'd have his siblings join him one day for a not too friendly family competition.

The day ended with a class on legal procedure and what the current laws were with relation to Stop, Question, and Frisk, and Suspect's Rights amongst other topics. This was one course that he was sure Jamie had aced and in which Danny could use a refresher".

At 5:30 p.m. Joe headed back outside to the El Camino. He was hungry and looking forward to whatever Pops had cooked up for dinner. After that, he was going shopping for a winter vehicle as the dealerships were open until 9:00 p.m.

November 27, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

6:39 p.m.

Henry, Frank and Joe sat down at the kitchen table. After Joe said Grace, Henry inquired as to how his first day went.

Joe reached into his pocket and deposited half a dozen slips of paper onto the table.

Henry picked one up, and then another, and then another.

"What are all these phone numbers for?" Henry inquired.

Frank giggled. "Looks like your grandson hasn't lost his touch"

"They just gave them to me Gramps, I didn't even ask" Joe stated.

"The old Reagan charm" Henry smiled. "Just don't let that get in the way of why you are there, or that one or more of these women may think you're a hook into your father's office".

"Not going to happen. I have no intention of calling any of them, besides, they're half my age. It would be like dating one of Nicky's friends" Joe replied.

"My God, I never thought of that. These cadets are barely adults" Henry recalled.

"I'm old enough to be their father" Joe stated as he reached for the meatloaf.

"Speaking of which, any plans to ever get married and give me more grandchildren" Frank inquired.

"Maybe someday Dad, it's just right now, there's too much going on, which is why I haven't called Angie to let her know that I'm back" Joe stated.

Henry and Frank looked at one another and it was not lost on Joe.

"What?" Joe inquired.

"Angie got married last year" Frank informed Joe.

Joe nodded. "Can't say that I blame her or that I expected her to wait around after all, I was dead as far as she knew".

"She lives here in the city. She still keeps in touch with Jamie" Frank informed his son.

"Maybe I'll give her a call after all, it's not fair to Jamie to have to maintain the façade that I'm gone" Joe noted.

"Maybe a fresh start with someone who didn't know you back then gives you a better chance at a future with them" Henry commented.

"Could be. Even now, people who knew me then compare me to who I have become, even you two" Joe stated.

"It's hard not to Joe" Frank replied. "In so many ways you are the same person, but in others, there's a part of you that came into existence in our absence".

"Dad, I'm not complaining and I understand, and the reverse applies as well. All of you changed in my eyes, especially Jamie and Danny" Joe replied.

"In what way?" Henry inquired.

Joe set down his utensils and rested his chin on top of his hands. "Jamie has turned into a very confident young man, he's no longer the goofy kid brother I last saw in May 2009. He's matured, and I'm assuming a big part of that is the result of his experience on the job, and the rest is because of Janko. As for Danny, he's no longer the angry bully or tyrant he once was, he's mellowed but he's also broken without Linda. It's as if he feels there's no purpose to going on".

"I think Danny's afraid to grow old alone" Frank stated.

"He'll only be alone if he wants to be" Joe said.

"Are you aware of the medals your brother has earned both in the Marines and on the force?" Frank inquired.

"Yes, he once told me about them" Joe answered.

"Did you know that Navy Cross should have been the Medal of Honor?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, he told me the story behind it and how it was either take the Cross or face a Courts-Martial for decking that lieutenant" Joe grinned.

"He undervalues himself" Henry noted.

"Except when he has a bone between his teeth, then, watch out" Frank replied.

"Looks like Jamie and I have our work cut out for us because we are going to get Danny back into the saddle. He deserves someone to love and to make him happy, or as happy as he can be when not torturing one of us" Joe stated as he finished his dinner.

When Joe announced he was heading out car shopping, Frank decided to tag along. Joe pulled the El Camino into the local Bay Ridge Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealership. No sooner were he and Frank out of the car when a salesman came running up.

"What a beauty, looking to trade her in on something more up to date?" He inquired.

"Bite your tongue my good man, this beauty is not for sale" Joe replied. "However, I am looking for something to drive during the winter, maybe a Wrangler"

With the snows of winter only a few days off the used car lot was low on SUV's and other all wheel and 4 wheel drive vehicles however, there was one lone Wrangler which caught Joe's eye.

"Figures" Frank stated as he saw Joe looking at the iconic vehicle.

"What figures?" Joe inquired.

"The color" Frank answered.

Joe smiled as he began asking the salesman questions. After taking the Jeep for a test drive, Joe went inside and negotiated a price he could live with for what was essentially, a part time vehicle, but when it came time to write the check, Frank sat down and pulled his checkbook out of his pocket.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Joe inquired.

"I'm buying this for you and don't say anything more" Frank ordered.

"I can't let you do that" Joe pleaded.

"Shut up Joe" Frank smiled as he signed the check and handed it over to the salesman.

"May I please see some identification"? The salesman asked.

Frank pulled out his NYPD credentials and watched as the man's eyes went wide.

"You're the Police Commissioner?" He stuttered.

"I sure am" Frank smiled back.

Joe placed his driver's license down on the desk. "Please title it in my name at this address" He requested.

"I'll need proof of insurance in order for you to take it home tonight" The salesman stated.

Joe placed his DEA badge and credentials on the desk. "I'll have it faxed over to you in the morning".

The salesman gulped and nodded as he provided Joe with the dealership's fax number.

Half an hour later, Frank drove the El Camino back to Bay Ridge while Joe followed in his newly acquired 2014 Silver Jeep Wrangler.

Joe parked the Wrangler in the driveway in front of the Chevelle and walked into the garage as his father exited the El Camino.

"Dad, I appreciate what you just did and thank you, but why?" Joe inquired.

"Over the years, I have given your sister and brothers money when they needed it but I never did anything for you. I figured it was your turn, besides, maybe you'll let me use this for hauling my fishing gear to the pier when you aren't using it" Frank said as he patted the El Camino's fender.

"Maybe not the El Camino Dad, it's fully restored and tackle boxes bouncing around back there would destroy the bed, but you can have the Jeep all summer. Lots of room for your rods and I'm sure you can get a lawn chair in there as well" Joe grinned.

"Your sister told you" Frank noted.

"Yeah, but like I said, the Jeep's all yours once these two are back on the road for the summer.

"That's fair" Frank replied. "By the way, why'd you badge the salesman with your DEA creds instead of your Gold Shield?"

"Guy looked like he enjoyed the occasional snort so I figured I'd shake him up. When it comes to drugs, your average citizen is more afraid of the DEA than the NYPD" Joe replied.

"Maybe we need to find a way to make them equally afraid of us" Frank pondered.

Friday, December 2, 2017

The New York City Police Academy

130-30 28th Ave.

College Point, Queens, NY

10:35 a.m.

Danny and Jamie walked down the hall of the Academy in search of their brother. "He has to be in one of the PT rooms" Danny stated.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Danny?" Jamie asked, feeling like he was 9 years old again and his brother was drawing him into another one of his bad ideas, the kind that usually cost Jamie a red behind, courtesy of his mother's or sister's wooden hairbrush.

"Come on, this will be fun" Danny grinned.

"Why do I feel as if I'm going to regret this" Jamie mumbled as he stopped in his tracks.

"Shut up and move" Danny retorted as he grabbed his brother by the arm and pulled him along.

Three doors down to the left and they could hear the class in progress. Danny looked in through the door's window to see his brother standing to the side of the gym mat.

"Perfect, he's in there" Danny grinned.

"Now what?" Jamie asked.

"We walk in and take a seat on the risers. We're just two cops watching, picking up some pointers" Danny replied as he opened the door.

As soon as they stepped into the room Joe noticed and he suspiciously watched his brothers climb the riser before having a seat. He had expected them to show up at some point during his two week stint so he wasn't totally surprised they had finally made their appearance, and then it dawned on him, this could wind up being a teaching moment for the class, and even better, a shit load of fun for him.

Joe walked over to the Sergeant who was instructing the class and whispered in his ear. The Sergeant smiled and nodded.

He called his assistant over and had a brief conversation after which the cadets were all ordered to assemble around the mat area.

"During this past week, you have sparred with your partners and with your instructors however, we are fortunate to have with us one New York City Detective, and one New York City Patrol Officer who work the streets using the very training we are currently teaching you. Therefore, I'm going to ask the detective and officer sitting in the risers to come down and join us for a demonstration" He stated.

"Danny" Jamie hesitantly began.

"Relax kid, this is gonna be fun" Danny replied.

Jamie was dressed casually as this was his day off but Danny had on a suit and tie. He removed the tie and his jacket and both handed over their weapons and badges to the assistant instructor.

The first few minutes went fairly well with Danny and Jamie fending off "attacks" brought on by the cadets. Both brothers would then explain the how's and whys of their moves so that the cadets would understand.

Finally, the Sergeant ordered the cadets to form around the mat. "Now, I am going to ask these two perps" he addressed Danny and Jamie "to double team this officer" he said, pointing to Joe.

Danny looked over at Jamie and grinned. It wouldn't be long however until Joe wiped the smile off of his brother's face as what neither Danny nor Jamie knew was the extent of marital arts Joe had learned during his years with the DEA.

In Mexico, Joe had a lot of time on his hands so he had taken classes in several of the martial arts, including Krav Maga, Akido, and Muay Thai. He was also a black belt in both Judo and Isshinryu Karate.

Within five minutes both of his brothers lay inert on the mat, Joe having hardly worked up a sweat.

The instructor walked out and addressed the class. "I want you all to remember what you have just witnessed. The officers who provided this demonstration are in fact, brothers, and their father is our esteemed Police Commissioner, Francis Reagan" He stated to the awe of the cadets.

"Suffice to say that middle brother has demonstrated that big brother and little brother can both use a refresher course in self-defense" He concluded to the laughter of the class.

Sunday, December 4, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

2:15 p.m.

Frank looked around the table. Jamie was sporting a busted lip and a bruised cheek bone while staring daggers at both Danny and Joe. Danny had a black eye and was sheepishly avoiding Jamie's gaze while alternatively giving Joe the stink eye. On the other hand, Joe looked pretty proud of himself and smiled at both his brothers when he caught them looking in his direction.

"Okay you three, out with it" Frank ordered.

"Yeah, how'd you get a busted lip Uncle Jamie?" Jack inquired.

"I want to know how Danny got that black eye" Erin stated.

"I want to know why Joe here seems so satisfied with himself" Henry stated.

"You want to tell them, or should I?" Joe addressed his brothers.

"Shut up Joe" Jamie retorted causing Eddie to giggle.

"Would somebody please tell me" Frank pleaded.

Jamie went for it. "Jackass over there" he pointed at Danny "had another one of his bright ideas" he replied as he began to explain what happened, and as to how Joe had used them as human dummies.

Erin couldn't stop laughing and looked at Jamie. "Sounds like you're the jackass, Harvard" She teased. "When are you ever going to learn not to let Danny drag you into one of his cockamamie schemes?" She asked.

"Apparently, never" Henry chuckled.

Joe smiled. "One good thing is that I have an offer to return as a martial arts instructor, should I want to"

"Shut up Joe" His brothers chorused.


	42. Chapter 42

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

9:15 p.m.

The remainder of the Reagan family had finally headed home leaving Frank, Henry, and Joe to a quiet house.

Frank walked into the kitchen where he found Joe studying.

Joe turned to see his father observing him.

"What?" He inquired.

"Reminds me when you were little and unlike your brothers and sister who always went to their rooms to study, you would sit in here and keep your mom company while she made dinner" Frank recalled.

"I was here if she needed my help" Joe smiled at the memory.

"You were always your mother's child" Frank nodded.

"I thought that was Jamie" Joe countered.

"By the time he came along, your mom was worn out from Danny and Erin so Jamie sort of slipped through the cracks and became Erin's. He's always had a special relationship with her. As for Danny, he's always been closest to Pops" Frank pointed out.

"Should have named him Henry Francis Reagan the Second" Joe chuckled.

"If I knew then what I know now, I would have" Frank affirmed.

"Well Dad, look at it this way. Erin is definitely your daughter" Joe grinned.

Frank lit up like a Christmas tree. "Yes, she is" he stated before placing a folder on the kitchen table.

"Available openings for you to select from" Frank stated.

"Not concerned that I may fail the Academy?" Joe teased.

"I can't recall you ever failing at anything in your life" Frank stated.

"So, what do we have here" Joe said as he opened the folder and read.

"First column gives you the bureau, second the subdivision of that bureau that has an available billet" Frank informed.

"Counterterrorism Bureau" Joe noted. "Critical Response Command, and, Counterterrorism Division".

"The second one includes NYPD officers abroad, including undercover infiltration ops" Frank stated, hoping that Joe would not pick that one though after his eight-year stint in Mexico, he couldn't deny that Joe was perfect for the job".

Joe shook his head: "Can't get a good hot dog abroad and I know there are no decent '71 Chevy's to drive in those countries so we can cross Counterterrorism off the list" knowing that he had just greatly eased his father's concerns.

"Detective Bureau" Joe smiled. "Now what goodies do we have in this Christmas stocking?" He inquired. "Major Case Squad"; Special Victims Division; Forensic Investigations Division; Special Investigations Division; Criminal Enterprise Division; Fugitive Enforcement Division, Umm, I'll take a pass on that one, been there done that, and believe me when I tell you that it was the death of me" He quipped.

"Joseph" Frank warned.

"Sorry Dad, District Attorney's Squad?" He grinned as he thought of working with Erin.

"Maybe not the best idea" Frank replied.

Joe continued: "Grand Larceny Division, Gun Violence Suppression Division; and finally my favorite, Vice Enforcement Division which is a misnomer because it sounds as if you are compelling people to engage in such acts, not acting to preclude them from doing so".

"I'll be sure to bring that up at the next Chief's meeting" Frank commented.

"Please do after all, accuracy is the cornerstone of efficient administration" Joe teased back.

"Keep reading" Frank ordered.

"Intelligence Bureau: The Criminal Intelligence Section could be interesting" Joe stated.

"Organized Crime, you'd fit right in with the wise guys" Frank deadpanned.

"Imagine me and Danny undercover together" Joe stated as he flashed his 500-watt smile.

"Toss in Jamie and you'd have your own mob family" Frank replied.

"Training Bureau: You serious?" Joe asked.

"You said yourself that you have a lot to offer the cadets, as a detective, in your undercover experience, and in your self-defense arts" Frank responded.

"Maybe a class here or there but I don't want to be cooped up all day in a building" Joe stated.

"How about for just a year, just until you fully reacclimate to the city and the Job" Frank suggested.

"I'm not made of glass Dad and I have every intention of staying alive out there so please, don't treat me like I'm back here on borrowed time" Joe stated.

"You'll notice that Public Information, Support Services and Administration aren't on that list" Frank stated in reference to the three safest bureaus where he could park Joe.

"Yeah, but in Public Information I would be working with Garrett and imagine all the stories I could tell him about my dear old Dad and our family" Joe teased.

"Or the stories you could tell at Sunday dinner as to what it's like scraping barnacles and rust off the bottom of the harbor patrol boats" Frank responded.

Joe instantly wiped the smile from his face. "I'll give this some serious thought. I take it you'll need an answer by End of Tour next Friday" He asked.

"You'll inform DCT Greene as to your top three billet requests" Frank replied as he turned to head back to his favorite chair and a new book.

"Copy that" Joe mumbled as he plunged back into the study material before him.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

The New York City Police Academy

130-30 28th Ave.

College Point, Queens, NY

2:00 p.m.

Joe stared at the information printed on the frosted glass door.

Office of Psychiatric Evaluation

Dr. Laura Shelton, J.D., M.D., PhD.

Joe opened the outer door and entered to an average size waiting room. A uniformed officer manned the reception desk.

"Good afternoon, I'm Detective Joseph Reagan and I have a two-o'clock appointment with Dr. Shelton" He informed the officer.

"Of course Detective, please have a seat and Dr. Shelton will be with you momentarily" She smiled.

Joe thanked the pretty officer and plotzed in one of the very comfortable chairs. He figured the layout of the office, the hot cop behind the desk, and the chairs that swallowed his ass were all designed to put him at ease so that when the doc opened up his noggin and began ripping away the scabs and scars, it wouldn't hurt as much or he wouldn't be as resistant to the process. Little did she know Joe had already spent a month of his life undergoing such treatment as mandated by the DEA.

The door to the doctor's private office opened and Dr. Shelton poked her head out.

Joe felt an instant visceral reaction.

The doc had to be six feet tall and unlike Erin who was a bean pole, this woman carried some serious muscle. Her shoulders were sculpted so by this Joe knew that after she had played with heads all day, the dear doctor liked to give her own body a thorough going over, most likely in the Academy's weight room. Capping this off was a mane of thick shoulder length auburn hair and green eyes that flickered amusement. No likely designed to disarm her patients and to put them at ease before the shrinking process began, Joe thought.

"Detective Reagan" She stated with a cultured British accent.

Joe rose to his full six feet four inches and nodded as he walked over and into the office.

"Please, have a seat Detective" She smiled.

"I'm Doctor Shelton" She began by way of introduction.

"That's one title" Joe replied.

"I'm sorry?" She stated.

"J.D., M.D., PhD., you have more degrees than a thermometer, Doc" Joe replied, causing her to smile.

She casually looked through Joe's file but he knew that prior to his entrance into this inner sanctum, she had thoroughly reviewed his career and likely had reached out to others for their opinion of his abilities and stability.

"You are a unique individual Detective Reagan" She began.

"Aren't we all unique Doctor?" Joe countered.

"As human beings, we are. I am referring to you in relation to other men, and other cops" She replied.

"I'm just a guy who did his duty" Joe replied.

"Must not be easy being the middle brother, especially not when you are all NYPD and your father is the P.C." She stated, hoping for a reaction.

Instead, Joe parlayed: "When I went undercover, only my elder brother and I were NYPD, my younger brother was at Harvard completing law school".

"I wasn't referencing 2009, I mean today, in the here and now" She replied.

"My brothers and I have different skill sets and methods by which we accomplish our jobs, that are different from one another's" Joe informed her.

"In what way?" She inquired.

"Detective Daniel Reagan is Major Case. He solves the intricate and high profile cases. He prefers to put the pieces together and solve the riddle. Officer Jamison Reagan, while excellent at solving the same riddles, prefers to be on the street helping people before a situation arises requiring his brother, or detectives like him, from having to become involved" Joe answered.

"And how about Detective Joseph Reagan, where does he fit it in?" She asked.

"I suppose that I fall in between my brothers in many ways which is why I am still pondering what role I wish to take on when I am assigned back to duty next week".

"If you are assigned back" She stated in an attempt to provoke Joe but he knew what she was doing and he dodged it.

"Whatever billet I accept, it will have investigative duties, and I will be interacting with the public because like my brothers, I enjoy helping those who need our help" He answered.

She recrossed her long legs and couldn't help but notice Joe's almost imperceptible reaction. He had an outstanding poker face.

The remainder of the two hour session was spent combing through Joe's life, and where he wanted to go moving forward. By the end of the session Dr. Shelton was sure of three things, that: 1.) Joe Reagan was more than psychologically fit for duty; 2.) He would be a major asset in any posting that he was assigned; and 3.) She had to find a way to run into him after his time at the Academy was over because he was one in a million and she wasn't about to let him get away.

Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, Danny was meeting with Jack Boyle and Harvey Spectre of Spectre-Litt regarding the helicopter crash that killed Linda.

"The NTSB has released its preliminary report" Harvey informed Danny.

"What does it say?" Danny inquired.

"That the loss of _Medivac_ Flight One was caused by the failure of the tail rotor assembly, the cause of which was corrosion due to inadequate maintenance by the operator. Furthermore, a fracture of the tail rotor drive shaft occurred due to the failure of the operator to inspect and repair a fracture at the rear u-joint assembly" Harvey read from the report".

"That's what Lt. Sanderson of the FDNY told us" Danny stated.

"Which is why my firm is going to represent you in a lawsuit against _Medivac_ and its parent company, Life Flight One".

"How about Bell?" Jack Boyle inquired.

"Helicopter was too old, long out of warranty and more importantly, the NTSB isn't pointing at the manufacturer, only the operator" Harvey replied.

"So what do we do now?" Danny asked.

"I'll prepare the necessary retainer agreements for you and your sons to sign though in all honesty, Linda's brother and sister may have claims of their own. You may want to talk to them and see if they want to join up or retain their own attorney but in the end, it's going to come down to there being only so much money to go around, and it will be up to the attorneys or the Court to decide as to who gets what" Harvey informed Danny.

"What about criminal charges?" Danny asked.

Harvey was a former prosecutor, in fact, he had worked with both Jack and Erin at the New York County DA's Office when they were all fresh out of law school.

"You can't use Erin on this because she's too involved, nor would I use the NYPD to investigate. Make a request to the State Police and if they elect to file charges, have them request that the Governor appoint a Special Prosecutor" Harvey advised.

"I'll talk to my father later today. He'll know who at the State Police to call" Danny replied as the meeting ended.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

The New York City Police Academy

130-30 28th Ave.

College Point, Queens, NY

3:00 p.m.

Joe had reported to the Academy's firing range as instructed. He was permitted to use his own firearm, as well as being assigned two additional pistols routinely carried by NYPD personnel, the Sig Sauer P226 and the Glock 17.

The range instructor examined the Kahr 10mm Joe routinely carried.

"A real beauty detective, if you don't mind my asking, what led you to this particular firearm" He inquired.

"I started out on Patrol carrying the Glock 26. My older brother is a detective and became fond of the 9mm Kahr so one day he had me try it out and I liked it. When I moved over to the Warrant's squad I knew that there would be times when I needed the stopping power of the 10mm to bring down those high on PCP or other stimulants so I looked at the Smith & Wesson 40 caliber, and in 10mm, the Sig Sauer P220, the Colt Delta, and the Kahr and like my brother, I found it to be the best in balance, reliability, and accuracy" Joe answered.

Joe expertly stripped down all three pistols, cleaned them, and then reassembled and loaded them.

He fired over 50 rounds per weapon, and then field stripped, cleaned, and reassembled them again. Finally, he reloaded the Kahr.

The instructor looked at the silhouettes Joe had "shot" and smiled at the exceptionally tight groupings, in fact, there were instances when five rounds looked like two, that's how close Joe could accurately place his shots.

"Outstanding Detective" The range instructor complimented.

"Guess that means that I pass" Joe replied.

"With flying colors" The instructor ensured him.

Joe left the range with a smile. All that remained was for him to pass his written test thereby proving that he was current on all Patrol Guide policies and the law. This would consume all of the following day so he elected to head home for dinner, a quiz session with his sister followed by a full night's sleep.

Friday, December 8, 2017

The New York City Police Academy

130-30 28th Ave.

College Point, Queens, NY

10:00 a.m.

Joe reported as ordered to the DCT's office. Inside a folder he carried was a single sheet of paper listing the assignments that he preferred.

He was escorted directly into DCT Greene's office where Captain Hardaway and Lt. Brasco were also present.

After pleasantries were exchanged, Joe seated himself.

Greene began. "We have your fitness evaluations and we aren't going to beat around the bush here Detective, you scored off the charts" She stated.

"Then I am to be restored to full duty" He stated.

"It is our recommendation that such reinstatement take place forthwith" Hardaway replied.

"Do you have any preferences for assignment?" Greene inquired.

Joe handed over his list.

3.) Detective Bureau, Special Victims

2.) Detective Bureau, Major Case

1.) Bureau of Training, Instructor

To say that the DCT and her subordinates were astonished would have been putting it lightly.

"Are you sure about this?" She inquired.

"My brothers and I have been fortunate enough to have been trained by the very best. Maybe it's my perspective that had I not been as well trained as I was in May 2009, that my death would have been real. After giving this matter a week of serious thought, contemplation, and prayer, I believe that I have an obligation, that all seasoned cops have an obligation to spend at least one year here at the Academy training the next generation of officers because we have the day to day experience to impart to them, however, there is a caveat. On January 2, 2019, I am to be reassigned to Major Case or SVU. If that is agreeable, you have yourself a new instructor" Joe smiled.

"I will pass your request up the chain Detective" Greene noted as she rose to shake Joe's hand.

"Then I look forward to hearing from you or administration as to my next assignment" Joe replied as he bid his adieus and exited the office.

As soon as her door closed, Greene picked up her phone and placed a call. "Commissioner Reagan please, this is DCT Greene calling from the Academy" She informed Baker.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY

2:15 p.m.

Immediately after Jamie had led the family in Grace, the questions began to follow.

"Did Joe pass the Academy?" Danny asked Frank.

"With flying colors" Henry answered.

Frank smiled. "Placed off the charts".

"Gonna join me at Major Case?" Danny asked.

"How about the DA's Squad, you can work with me" Erin stated.

"I see Joe more in either OCB or SVU" Jamie stated.

"Nah, Joe's going for Counterintelligence" Janko remarked.

"Actually, none of these were Joe's first choice" Frank informed.

"Really?" Danny inquired.

"What's your first choice Joe?" Jamie asked.

"The Academy" Joe answered to the utter shock of the remainder of his family, other than Frank who already knew but was not surprised when DCT Greene informed him two days ago as to his middle son's desired assignment.

"Are you crazy, I thought you wanted back on the streets" Danny nearly shouted.

Joe patiently looked at his older brother and then the rest of his family as he gave his answer.

"Every one of us who has served on the NYPD went through the Academy, granted, it wasn't as nice in our day as it is now, what a facility, but we received the best training that was available at the time we were there, however, the problem is that you have the same instructors year in and year out, quoting from the same books and the same Patrol Guide and while they may provide the requisite instruction, they are not out there on the streets learning from our mistakes, and our experiences, for instance" He addressed Jamie, "You and Eddie deal with EDPs, but they really don't instruct as to how an EDP responds to us, or how to deal with them because they have never been in that situation. Danny, how many times have I said that your career experience is invaluable to others, and that you can teach what would take others 20 years to learn. I'm sorry, but I believe that every cop owes it to those following behind him or her to at some point in their career think about the big picture rather than their next promotion or their own careers and to give something back by spending at least one year instructing and that is why I made the decision to do so. After that year is up, I'll be assigned to either Major Case or SVU and I'll have the benefits of those lessons I learned as an instructor to bring with me" Joe concluded.

Danny, Jamie, and Eddie all nodded "Copy that" Danny said.

Frank couldn't be prouder of Joe, always thinking what was in the best interests of others.

"To Joe" Frank toasted.

"To Instructor Reagan" the remainder of the family replied.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

The New York City Police Academy

130-30 28th Ave.

College Point, Queens, NY

12:00 p.m.

Joe had received his official notice directly from DCT Greene. His request to be assigned to the Academy had been granted effective immediately. Also approved was his caveat.

While Joe would not begin instructing until the next class began in January, he would shadow current instructors and work with them in order to ensure a smooth transition into his new position.

He was seated in the cafeteria when he heard his name and looked up to see Dr. Laura Shelton smiling down at him.

"Is this seat taken Detective?" She inquired.

"It is if you are the one who plans on taking it" Joe smiled as he stood to pull the chair back for her.

"What a gentleman" She complimented him. "I thought that your two weeks here were up last Friday" She inquired.

"That is true however, I have elected to be assigned here for the next year as an instructor" Joe replied.

She smiled. "So that would make us colleagues as opposed to Doctor-patient".

"Or as opposed to Detective-civilian" Joe countered.

"Indeed" She nodded as she began eating her lunch.

Thirty minutes later and a wonderful conversation later, Dr. Shelton held out her hand. "Your phone please".

Joe unlocked his phone and handed it over. A minute later it was returned to him with Dr. Shelton as a new contact.

"I hope that you'll call me, and not as a cop or a patient" She smiled while collecting the remnants of her lunch and walking away.

"You can count on it" Joe softly replied as he watched her muscular hips sashay away.


End file.
